Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to Advocate for Peace at UN

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has pledged to convey Pakistan’s message of “peace with dignity and equality” at the United Nations (UN). He made this announcement on Monday.

The former foreign minister is currently in New York, US, accompanied by a nine-member parliamentary delegation for a two-day visit. Their objective is to articulate Pakistan’s position regarding the recent military tensions and challenge India’s narrative on the world stage.

In a video message shared on his X account, Bilawal stated, “We have arrived in New York today, where we will, God willing, deliver Pakistan’s message: Pakistan seeks peace with dignity and equality at the UN.”

He emphasized that lasting peace in South Asia hinges on resolving the long-standing Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and UN resolutions.

The PPP leader affirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the Kashmiri people, asserting that the right to self-determination of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) cannot be denied.

Bilawal criticized India for allegedly weaponizing water against Pakistan, reiterating his intention to raise awareness about India’s violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on international forums.

He cautioned that any aggression towards the Indus River would be deemed “unacceptable,” and reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance against all forms of terrorism.

It is important to note that the delegation, under Bilawal’s leadership, is scheduled to commence engagements at the UN today, including meetings with ambassadors from 14 Security Council member states, encompassing all five permanent members.

The delegation comprises prominent political figures such as Hina Rabbani Khar, Dr. Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Bushra Anjum Butt, Tehmina Janjua, and Jalil Abbas Jilani.

A separate delegation, headed by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Syed Tariq Fatemi, will be in Moscow from June 2, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition to meetings with the UN Secretary-General and the president of the UN General Assembly, the Pakistani delegation intends to meet with the ambassadors of the remaining 14 member countries of the 15-member UN Security Council, including the Chinese and Russian UN envoys.

The delegation is also scheduled to address the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA), a long-standing international organization of journalists based at the United Nations.

Besides addressing UN journalists, the delegation plans to engage with Pakistani journalists in the evening. Other planned activities involve meetings with ambassadors from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries and the Non-Aligned Movement.

However, details regarding potential meetings with American media outlets, their editorial boards, or organizations focused on human rights, peace, and security remain undisclosed.

Similarly, there are no scheduled programs that include discussions with organizations combating disinformation and advocating for media accuracy, to brief them on alleged disinformation and biased propaganda from Indian media sources.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the focus of the Pakistani team’s meetings primarily with diplomats from countries already aligned with Pakistan’s positions. It remains unclear which officials from the US administration will meet with the Pakistani delegation.

There are indications of a meeting with an American think tank on June 5, and Indian Congress Party leader Shashi Tharoor is expected to be in Washington following a visit to Latin American countries. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is already in Washington.

Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach followed recent tensions stemming from a terror incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that resulted in fatalities, with India attributing blame to Pakistan without providing substantiating evidence.

In the previous month, Pakistan’s military initiated a large-scale retaliatory operation, designated “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos”, targeting various Indian military sites.

Pakistan claimed to have downed six IAF fighter aircraft, including three Rafales, as well as numerous drones. A ceasefire agreement, mediated by the United States, concluded the conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations on May 10, after approximately 87 hours.

According to ISPR, the confrontation resulted in the loss of 53 lives, comprising 13 military personnel and 40 civilians, due to Indian actions.