J&K leaders to join nation’s anti-terror diplomacy after Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor

Srinagar: In a move that highlights Jammu and Kashmir’s key role in India’s counter-terror diplomacy, three senior political leaders from the Union Territory (UT) will be part of the high-level All Party Delegations (APDs) set to visit major global capitals following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the launch of Operation Sindoor.

Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference MP Mian Altaf Ahmad, and BJP Rajya Sabha member Ghulam Ali Khatana will represent J&K in the All Party Delegations (APDs) tasked with engaging influential partner nations — including permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) — to build global support against terrorism and its cross-border sponsors.

As per the information related to seven groups released by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Azad will be part of the eight-member Group 1 to be led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda. This group will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria.

BJP MP Khatana will be part of eight-member Group 2 to be led by former union minister and BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad. This group will visit the UK, France, Germany, the EU, Italy, and Denmark.

MP and former J&K minister Mian Altaf will be part of eight-member Group 6 to be led by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. The countries to be covered by this group will include Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Latvia, and Russia.

Azad, a senior statesman and head of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), brings decades of political experience and credibility. Mian Altaf, a respected tribal leader from the Gujjar community in south Kashmir, represents a key regional voice, while Khatana has emerged as an important face of the BJP’s outreach among tribal and marginalized communities in J&K.

The delegations will also aim to reinforce the narrative that Jammu and Kashmir’s mainstream political leadership is united in opposing terrorism, and that people in the region are active stakeholders in India’s security and diplomatic strategy.

India’s Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, marks an intensified military and diplomatic campaign to eliminate terror infrastructure and push for international action against Pakistan accused of harbouring terrorists.

As part of this push, the delegations will travel to global capitals to present India’s case for stronger counter-terror cooperation and targeted sanctions against terror outfits and their backers.