Panama assures support as Indian MPs convey strong anti-terror message

Panama has assured India of its support for the "war against terror" as an all-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor met National Assembly President Dana Castaneda here to convey New Delhi's strong message of zero-tolerance for terrorism.

The delegation reached the Central American country on Tuesday. It is one of the seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead.

In an early Thursday morning post on X, Tharoor said the delegation called on Castaneda, who was accompanied by senior members of Parliament Edwin Vergara and Julio de la Guardia, and "explained our mission to her and received strong assurances of understanding and support for India's war against terror". 

During the meeting on Wednesday, the Congress MP presented the National Assembly President with a Kashmiri shawl, and she reciprocated with a warrior symbol.

"After I presented her with a Kashmiri shawl, from the place where terror had struck, the President reciprocated with a warrior symbol, urging India to fight on with determination. Greeted her colleague Kathy Bhikhu, who was born in Gujarat!," Tharoor said.

Earlier, Tharoor signed the visitors' book and visited the main hall of the National Assembly.

"A positive start to our Panama visit," he posted on X along with some photographs of the event.

The multi-party MPs' delegation also visited the Indian Cultural Centre in Panama City and offered devotions at the temple there.

"It was moving to see our Muslim colleague Sarfraz Ahmed join his Hindu and Sikh colleagues at the temple. As he later told the audience, 'jab bulane walon ko koi aitraaz nahin, toh jaane walo ko aitraaz kyon hoga'?" Tharoor posted on X.

He also addressed members of the Indian community in Panama. 

"A memorable evening with a 300-strong audience from the Indian community in Panama (mainly Gujaratis and Sindhis, with a sprinkling of others). I addressed the gathering on our mission and invited my colleagues to join in four of them did, mainly in Hindi, to much applause," Tharoor said.

Besides Tharoor, the delegation comprises Sarfraz Ahmad (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G M Harish Balayogi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Bhubaneswar Kalita (BJP), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), Tejasvi Surya (BJP), and former ambassador of India to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives.

India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7, following which Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions.

The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.