Malaysia Rejects Pakistan’s Plea to Cancel Indian Delegation’s Events, Citing Neutrality on Kashmir Issue at UN
In a far-reaching diplomatic development, Malaysia has firmly declined Pakistan’s request to cancel a series of outreach programmes by an Indian parliamentary delegation visiting Kuala Lumpur as part of its multi-nation tour.
According to sources quoted by India Today TV, Pakistan had attempted to pressure Malaysian officials into halting the delegation’s engagements by invoking religious solidarity, referring to the ongoing Kashmir issue at the United Nations.
Reportedly, the Pakistani embassy in Kuala Lumpur reached out to Malaysian authorities and made an emotional appeal, stating, “We are an Islamic country, you are an Islamic country… don’t listen to the Indian delegation, cancel all their programmes in Malaysia.”
The embassy argued that hosting the Indian team contradicted the shared Islamic ethos between Pakistan and Malaysia, especially in light of India’s recent military actions under Operation Sindoor.
Despite these efforts, Malaysia rejected Islamabad’s request and granted full permission for all 10 scheduled programmes of the Indian delegation to proceed as planned.
Officials in Kuala Lumpur made it clear that Malaysia would not take a one-sided stance, particularly on matters currently being debated at international forums like the United Nations, such as the Kashmir dispute.
Operation Sindoor Outreach: India Highlights Counterterrorism Measures
Malaysia served as the final destination for the Indian delegation’s five-country outreach tour, which also included Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia.
The team, composed of leaders across the Indian political spectrum, landed in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, with a packed schedule of high-level meetings, cultural events, and community engagements.
The nine-member Indian delegation was led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Jha and featured a cross-party representation: BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, and Hemang Joshi; Trinamool Congress’s Abhishek Banerjee; Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader John Brittas; Congress veteran Salman Khurshid; and Mohan Kumar, a former Indian ambassador to Bahrain and France.
During their visit, the delegation met with representatives of Malaysia’s People’s Justice Party (PKR), including YB Sim Tze Tzin, a former cabinet minister under ex-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
In these meetings, the Indian delegation conveyed India’s strong and unwavering approach toward national security, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror incident, which had claimed numerous lives.
The delegation explained Operation Sindoor — India’s retaliatory precision strikes aimed at neutralising terror camps operating in Pakistan-occupied territory — and emphasised India’s “zero-tolerance” policy toward terrorism.
They described these strikes as part of India’s evolving doctrine on cross-border terrorism and highlighted them as an example of India’s “new normal” in terms of regional security.
Strong Statements from Diaspora Address and After-Tour Reflections
On Sunday, while addressing members of the Indian diaspora in Kuala Lumpur, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee took a firm stance on Indo-Pak relations.
He stated that any bilateral dialogue with Pakistan should be contingent upon Islamabad’s readiness to return Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to India, reinforcing India’s long-standing position on the territorial dispute.
Following the conclusion of the tour, Sanjay Jha spoke to the press, including PTI, and shared details of the feedback received across all five countries.
According to Jha, leaders and representatives from each nation conveyed their condolences for the victims of the Pahalgam attack and expressed appreciation for India’s “measured and precise” response targeting terrorist infrastructure.
He added that India’s consistent message — focused on peace, sovereignty, and anti-terrorism — was received with empathy and respect.
The delegation’s tour, particularly the developments in Malaysia, underscores India’s growing assertiveness on the global stage in countering Pakistan’s narrative and rallying international support against terrorism.
Moreover, Malaysia’s refusal to align unilaterally with Pakistan on religious or ideological grounds reflects a maturing diplomatic stance that prioritises balanced engagement and respect for multilateralism.
