Bilawal calls for dialogue, condemns India’s illegal strikes in Kashmir

NEW YORK: In the wake of the recent military tensions between India and Pakistan, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari urged the international community to encourage dialogue between the two nuclear-armed states.

Addressing the media at the United Nations headquarters, Bilawal condemned India’s illegal strikes against Pakistan, which he said violated UN Charter and international law.

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Tensions soared following the April 222 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-occupied Kashmir, which the country of 1.3 billion used as justification for military action.

Bilawal stated that Pakistan was willing to participate in an impartial international investigation into the Pahalgam attack, which India had rejected. He stated that Pakistan acted in self-defence during the conflict.

The PPP Chairman urged the United Nations and the wider international community to encourage India to engage in comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan to address outstanding issues and achieve peace. He stressed the need for dialogue that would include discussions on terrorism.

He also raised concerns about India’s threats to cut Pakistan’s water supply, viewing it as a violation of the Indus Water Treaty and an act of war.

The PPP Chairman acknowledged the role of the international community, particularly the United States, in facilitating a ceasefire, but warned that the situation remained precarious,

He stated that the threshold for military conflict between the two nuclear-armed states may have decreased but it still necessitated ongoing dialogue and diplomacy.

The Pakistani delegation included former former ministers and ambassadors, engaged with several international representatives, including the UN Secretary-General and OIC officials, to brief them on Pakistan’s stance and seek support for peace efforts.

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The delegation planned to continue its engagements in Washington, DC, and later, visit London and Brussels, coinciding with an Indian delegation’s visit to the US.