New Delhi: In an endearing twist during a serious diplomatic outreach, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was taken by surprise when a journalist at a New York press briefing turned out to be none other than his son, Ishan Tharoor of The Washington Post.
With a beaming smile and a candid chuckle, Tharoor Sr. exclaimed, “That shouldn’t be allowed!” — sparking laughter in the room.
Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation to the U.S. as part of Operation Sindoor — India’s global effort to counter terrorism and disinformation following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir — addressed a media gathering at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Just as he prepared to take questions, Ishan Tharoor stood up. Spotting his son among reporters, the senior Tharoor quipped: “You have to stand up. That shouldn’t be allowed. This is my son.”
Unfazed, Ishan replied professionally,
“Ishan Tharoor of The Washington Post,” and added wryly, “Definitely asking a question in a personal capacity. And mostly to say hi before you go off to your next engagement.”
Laughs all around as Shashi Tharoor answers a sharp question from his son Ishaan
“That shouldn’t be allowed, that’s my son!” pic.twitter.com/KI5DdX9oHJ
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) June 5, 2025
The Hard Question – Evidence Against Pakistan?
Getting down to business, Ishan asked if any of Shashi Tharoor’s interlocutors in the West had requested concrete evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack.
Tharoor, clearly amused yet composed, responded warmly:
“Well, I’m very glad you raised this, Ishan. I didn’t plant it, I promise you. This guy does this to his dad.”
He then addressed the question seriously: “Very simply, no one had any doubt and we were not asked for evidence. But the media have asked in two or three places. Let me say very clearly that India would not have done this without convincing evidence.”
“Pakistan Has a Pattern”
Reminding the audience of Pakistan’s long history with terrorism, Tharoor emphasised:
“We’ve had a 37-year pattern of repeated terror attacks from Pakistan, accompanied by repeated denials.”
He pointed to the most infamous example: “Americans haven’t forgotten that Osama bin Laden was found in a Pakistani safe house, right next to an army camp. That’s Pakistan.”
He added references to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, reinforcing that denial has always been Pakistan’s first response — until evidence corners them.
