Reacting to US President Donald Trump's recent lunch meeting with Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor on Thursday (June 19) expressed hope that the diplomatic engagement also served as an opportunity to deliver a firm message on terrorism. "I trust the food was good- and hopefully accompanied by some food for thought," Tharoor remarked and took a dig at Asim Munir, who was hosted at the White House by US President Trump on Wednesday (June 18). He emphasised that during such high-level interactions, it is essential for the United States to remind Pakistan of its long-standing role in supporting cross-border terrorism against India.
Tharoor noted that some American lawmakers who engaged with the Pakistani delegation did raise concerns about Pakistan's history of enabling and facilitating terror operations. "The US cannot have so quickly forgotten the episode involving Osama bin Laden- harboured in a compound suspiciously close to a military base," he said, referencing the 2011 US operation that killed the al-Qaeda chief in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
He added that Pakistan’s complicity in shielding bin Laden "is neither easily forgotten nor forgiven" by the international community, especially the United States. Tharoor concluded by saying he hoped the American hosts had conveyed these serious concerns during their engagements with General Munir, underscoring that curbing terrorism would also align with US strategic interests.
I hope United States used the opportunity to raise terror concerns: Tharoor
Commenting on the US President's lunch with Pakistan Army Chief Munir at the White House, Shashi Tharoor remarked that while the details of the meeting's outcome remain unclear, the optics and context raise important questions.
Tharoor noted reports suggesting that General Munir had praised Trump by recommending him for the Nobel Peace Prize, to which Trump responded with a luncheon invitation. "I hope the food was good—and that it was accompanied by some food for thought as well," Tharoor quipped.
More seriously, he stressed the significance of such diplomatic engagements being used to address pressing security concerns. "I would hope that during these interactions, American officials took the opportunity to remind Pakistan of the critical importance of not supporting terrorism of not offering safe havens, or enabling, guiding, training, arming, financing, equipping, and dispatching terrorists to our country," he said.
Tharoor underscored that any meaningful dialogue with Pakistan’s military leadership must include firm messages on ending terror sponsorship, as this remains a key issue for regional stability and global security.