Colombia has retracted its statement condoling the death in Pakistan due to India’s Operation Sindoor conducted on May 7 and promised to issue a fresh one after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed his disapproval.
Confirming the development, Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation, wrote on X: “Began today with an excellent meeting with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, and her senior colleagues dealing with the Asia-Pacific.”
“I expressed India’s view of recent events and voiced disappointment at Colombia’s statement on 8 May conveying ‘heartfelt condolences’ to Pakistan,” he said.
Tharoor further said: “The Minister assured me that the statement had been withdrawn and that our position was now properly understood and strongly supported.”
Speaking to ANI news agency after meeting the Colombian Minister, Tharoor said: “The Vice Minister very graciously mentioned that they have withdrawn the statement that we had expressed concern about, and that they fully understand our position on the matter, which we really value.”
Earlier, Tharoor had expressed ‘disappointment’ over Colombia’s previous statement on Operation Sindoor.
“We were a little disappointed in the reaction of the Colombian government, which apparently expressed heartfelt condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan after the Indian strikes, rather than sympathising with the victims of terrorism,” Tharoor was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Tharoor is currently leading an all-party delegation in five countries as part of India’s diplomatic push to communicate the nation’s zero-tolerance stance against terrorism.
The delegation reached Colombia after completing its visit to Panama and Guyana.
Former Ambassador of India to the US and BJP leader Taranjit Singh Sandhu told ANI: “The end result was that they are withdrawing one of the other statements which had come out and have promised and stated, actually quite clearly, on terrorism and the issue.”
Tharoor and the delegation he is representing are a part of the seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to brief the international community on the developments following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people, mostly non-Muslim tourists, dead.
Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was a fierce military operation launched by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on the intervening night of May 6 and 7, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists who were enjoying their vacation at Baisaran Valley, which is referred to as India’s Switzerland.
The operation aimed to dismantle terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
After the Pakistan Army again targeted Indian civilians and resorted to cross-border firing, the Indian Armed Forces retaliated, destroying defence systems of the hostile neighbour.
On Pakistan’s appeal, India responded with a ceasefire on May 10 but Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned of fresh retaliation if Islamabad goes astray.
