Ghulam Nabi Azad Hospitalized During Gulf Delegation Tour

Riyadh, May 27 (PTI) Former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is part of an all-party delegation visiting the Gulf region, has been hospitalized and is currently under medical supervision, BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda announced on Tuesday. Halfway through our delegation's tour, Shri @ghulamnazad needed to be admitted to a hospital. He is stable, undergoing medical supervision, and will have some tests and procedures done," Panda, who leads the delegation, mentioned on X. Details about the hospital and location where the 76-year-old former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister has been admitted have not been disclosed.

Panda shared on X, "Despite the extreme heat in Kuwait affecting my health, by God’s grace, I’m doing fine and recovering well. All test results are normal. Thank you for your concern and prayers; it truly means a lot!" Panda and Azad are part of one of seven multi-party delegations from India tasked with visiting 33 global capitals to engage the international community regarding Pakistan's actions and India's response to terrorism, particularly in light of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

The delegation visited Bahrain on May 23 and Kuwait on May 25, with Azad having participated in meetings with leaders in both nations. Azad's contributions to these meetings were significant, and he is disappointed about being bedridden," Panda said. "We will greatly miss his presence in Saudi Arabia and Algeria," added Panda, who, along with the delegation, arrived in the Saudi capital on Tuesday.

Other members of the group include Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma (all BJP), Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), Satnam Sandhu (nominated), and former foreign secretary Harsh Shringla. During the visit to Saudi Arabia, the delegation plans to engage with various political dignitaries, government officials, thought leaders, and members of the Indian community.

Earlier, on May 7, India conducted precision strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor. This was followed by Pakistan's attempts to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10, to which the Indian side responded forcefully.