tharoor
Thiruvananthapuram, June 2025 – In a scathing commentary that blended wit with poignant gravity, Congress MP and former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor responded to the United States extending a White House luncheon to Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir. Tharoor didn’t hold back in reminding global leaders of Pakistan’s troubling history with terrorism and issued a forceful call for accountability.
A Lunch Laden with Irony
Tharoor’s quip was as sharp as it was pointed: “I hope the food was good—and that he (Munir) also got some food for thought in the process.”. The remark came after Munir’s luncheon with President Trump, following his own praise for Trump’s role in averting war with India—which was immediately perceived as tone-deaf by many observers.
Reminding America of the Osama Episode
Tharoor seized the moment to invoke one of the gravest lapses in Pakistan’s recent history. He stressed that “people in the US could not have forgotten the Osama episode so quickly”—referring to how Osama bin Laden was discovered hiding near a Pakistani army camp. Tharoor underscored:
“Pakistan’s culpability in hiding this man… cannot easily be forgotten or forgiven by the Americans.”
The Call to Condemn Terrorism
Tharoor painted a stark picture of the necessary American message to Pakistan. In his view, it wasn’t enough to host Munir; the US must also — loudly and unequivocally — demand that Pakistan halt its support for terrorism in any form. He urged:
That Pakistan not be allowed to “enable, guide, train, arm, finance, equip, and dispatch terrorists to our country.”
He also noted that some US Senators and Congressmen had already sounded similar warnings to the Pakistani delegation—but argued that “everyone in the US government should be saying this.”
On Diplomacy, Mediation, and Equivalence
Addressing concerns over the optics of the US hosting Pakistan’s military chief while the Indian delegation was received by the Vice President, Tharoor offered perspective. He emphasized that a meeting with the Vice President was significant protocol—a respectful reception for a parliamentary delegation
But perhaps more crucially, he rejected any notion equating India and Pakistan in terms of terrorism. He asserted that:
“Mediation implies equivalence. There is no equivalence between terrorists and their victims.”
Strategic Edge with a Diplomatic Edge
Tharoor concluded that while any pressure from the US on Pakistan would be welcome, India had neither asked for nor needed mediation. His comments suggest India holds its own diplomatic ground—with clarity, conscience, and without compromising its stance on terror.
A Final Word
In a world of staged summits and polished optics, Shashi Tharoor’s retort was a reminder that substance must underpin symbolism. His message was clear: global diplomacy cannot gloss over the past, especially when that past includes enabling terrorism. Hosting General Munir—without addressing Pakistan’s terror credentials—would be diplomatically hollow at best, dangerously irresponsible at worst.
Through his trademark blend of satire and substance, Tharoor demanded more than optics: he called for accountability, truth, and a diplomacy grounded in principle.
Let me know if you’d like this piece adapted for a different tone or publication—happy to refine further.
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