Pakistan is a front for China, US needs to be conscious: Ex-envoy Sandhu

Taranjit Singh Sandhu further stressed that the Pakistan Army remained in complete control of the country, making it necessary to take a firm stance against terrorism

Former Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who is part of the all-party delegation led by Shashi Tharoor to the US, in a strong message to US policymakers, cautioned on Thursday that Pakistan is acting as a front for China and urged Washington to rethink its strategic approach in the region.

During an interaction in Washington, DC, Sandhu said, "...There is a larger geopolitical play. I don't think anybody needs to be explained that Pakistan is the front for China, and I think the US policy makers need to be conscious of that."

The former envoy highlighted three major concerns for American policymakers; terrorism, democracy in the region, and the growing China-Pakistan nexus. "Three important aspects which US policy makers should focus on, firstly, on terrorism, what kind of impact it has had on the United States?..." he said.

He further stressed that the Pakistan Army remained in complete control of the country, making it necessary to take a firm stance against terrorism.

"It is stated that the Pakistan Army is in full control of Pakistan. Therefore, terrorism must be curbed there. It cannot be part of or an instrument of foreign policy. The United States policymakers need to be focused on, because terrorism in the past has hit the United States, it can hit in the future," Sandhu warned.

Sandhu touched upon democratic backsliding in the region, saying, "The second part is on democracy. We have seen that whenever there is pressure on the Pakistan Army, it finds a convenient way of creating tensions within India..."

Earlier in the day, Ex-envoy Taranjit Singh Sandhu emphasised India's role in combating terrorism on a global scale amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

The former Indian envoy underlined the global nature of the terrorism threat, saying, "Kindly look at all those terrorists and terrorist organisations, are they friends of the United States and what kind of poison they spread about the United States?... Do keep in mind that these are the same terrorists who have threatened the United States in the past, and you have just witnessed terrorism here, and can do it in the future too. So, India is fighting the battle on behalf of the world, especially the United States."

The delegation, which includes members from various political parties and former Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, arrived in the US following their visit to Brazil. Their mission is to brief key stakeholders about Operation Sindoor, India's diplomatic and military initiative launched in response to terrorism and misinformation after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, which killed 26 people and injured several others. The Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.