Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Accuses India of Steering Clear of Dialogue, Demands Exhaustive Peace Talks
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Accuses India of Steering Clear of Dialogue, Demands Exhaustive Peace Talks
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Accuses India of Steering Clear of Dialogue, Demands Exhaustive Peace Talks
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Accuses India of Steering Clear of Dialogue, Demands Exhaustive Peace Talks
Ex-Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday blamed India for providing excuses to avoid negotiations with Pakistan, even as tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors are escalating. During a press conference in Washington following meetings with U.S. lawmakers and think tanks, the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) underlined the need for urgency in talks to address long-standing issues and avert more conflict in South Asia.
Pakistan has begun a worldwide diplomatic drive, meeting with important global stakeholders to make its case on recent tensions with India. A delegation of senior politicians, former foreign ministers Bilawal, Hina Rabbani Khar, and Khurram Dastgir, senators, and senior diplomats will travel to London and Brussels as part of this diplomatic outreach. It is intended to push back against rising Indian lobbying power in the U.S. and other capitals of the West.
Bilawal had claimed that Pakistan's military and civilian leadership were on the same page on opposing terrorism and being committed to regional stability. He condemned India for consistently shying away from demands for investigations and talks, calling New Delhi's reasons weak and unconvincing. "It is India who's been running away from calls for an investigation and dialogue," he stated. "Whatever excuse you want to make—sometimes it's the civil-military excuse, sometimes it's geopolitical—it's getting tiresome.
The threat of a war was issued by the former foreign minister as he warned that without a dispute resolution mechanism between the two nuclear-capable powers, tensions were being deceptively escalated. He put into perspective the delicate position, saying that any terrorist attack in India or Indian-held Kashmir, with no proof required, would initiate an instant war. "The threshold for all-out war has drastically fallen," he said. "This is not in the reality of Pakistan, India, or the region."
Bilawal reaffirmed Pakistan's readiness to pursue an all-encompassing dialogue with India, covering all disputed matters, including terrorism. He underlined the necessity of holding to previous commitments to establish trust to make future talks possible. "If we are going to make new promises and treaties, it's important that we keep old ones," he emphasized.
On the issue of disinformation, Bilawal blamed India for propagating disinformation during the recent wars, comparing it to Pakistan's open nature. "We were open with the media, our people, and our friends," he stated. "India misled the global community and their own citizens regarding the terrorist attack in Kashmir. Up to today, they have yet to reveal the identities of the terrorists and the true damages they had."
He referred to Pakistan's credibility of statements, which he mentioned were supported by American officials, while India's statements were not verified. "India used fake news and disinformation even during the war," Bilawal claimed.
In spite of the difficulties, Bilawal expressed optimism for peace, calling on India to undo its hardline approach and come back to the negotiating table. "The recent ceasefire is only the first step," he added. "For lasting peace, we need an across-the-board dialogue in a third country."
The comment from the former minister highlights Pakistan's effort at diplomatic outreach in the face of escalating tensions, with both countries walking a razor-thin geopolitical tightrope with world-wide ramifications.
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