LONDON: Former foreign minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday condemned India for attempting to “sabotage President Donald Trump’s peace efforts” in South Asia, stressing that Pakistan remains committed to resolving all issues, including Kashmir, through dialogue.
Speaking to the media in London, Bilawal’s remarks came against the backdrop of the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict, triggered by the deadly April 22 attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Occupied Kashmir.
India, without presenting evidence, accused Pakistan of backing the attackers, leading to a four-day military standoff between the two countries. A ceasefire was brokered by the United States on May 10.
Pakistan, in response, formed a high-level delegation led by Bilawal to present its perspective on the conflict and counter Indian propaganda. After meetings in the United States, the delegation is currently in the United Kingdom and will head to Brussels next to meet European Commission members.
Addressing the press in London, Bilawal stated, “India wants to sabotage President Trump’s peace efforts, but its efforts will be in vain. The US will, if required, drag India to the table, as it is in the global interest that India and Pakistan make peace for regional stability and development.”
He emphasized that the Kashmir issue has become a global topic, particularly after Trump’s involvement. “India thought Kashmir was an internal matter, but when President Trump called for mediation, the issue became global,” Bilawal said, noting that India has been forced to accept that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.
Bilawal also reiterated Pakistan’s stance that all issues, whether Kashmir, water, or terrorism, can be resolved through dialogue. “War is not the solution,” he stated, while criticizing India’s ongoing narrative, which he called based on “lies and propaganda.”
On the Indus Water Treaty, Bilawal declared that India had no right to suspend or terminate the treaty. He labeled India’s actions regarding the treaty as a violation of the UN Charter, describing any such move as an “act of war.”
Responding to India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent remarks about the continued right to act against terrorism, Bilawal dismissed them as “war mongering” and noted that India’s threats and escalation rhetoric were signs of regional instability, not strength.
Bilawal further accused India of using terrorism as a foreign policy tool, referencing India’s targeting of Sikh activists worldwide. He said, “India has targeted Sikh activists, killed them, or paid criminal gangs to target them. The world knows India’s involvement in such actions, and this is why the international community is not backing them when they raise allegations against Pakistan.”
