Bilawal Bhutto Urges UN to Intervene in Pakistan-India Tensions

NEW YORK: Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan and Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has appealed to the United Nations to play an active role in de-escalating tensions between Pakistan and India. He also requested assistance in reinstating the Indus Waters Treaty, which he stated was unilaterally suspended by New Delhi.

The former foreign minister is in New York with a high-level parliamentary delegation comprising nine members for a two-day visit. The purpose of the visit is to present Pakistan’s perspective on the recent military standoff with India and to challenge New Delhi’s account on the global stage.

The parliamentary delegation includes Hina Rabbani Khar, Sherry Rehman, Dr. Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Tehmina Janjua, Bushra Anjum Butt, and Syed Faisal Subzwari.

During a significant meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN Headquarters in New York, the PPP chairman advocated for immediate international action to avert further escalation in South Asia. He asserted that India’s recent military actions and unsubstantiated allegations following the incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on April 22nd, threaten to destabilize the region further.

Bilawal delivered a letter from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Guterres, outlining Pakistan’s apprehensions regarding India’s recent activities, including cross-border incursions and damage inflicted on civilian properties. He also denounced India’s choice to put the Indus Waters Treaty on hold, describing it as a form of “water war” against Pakistan.

He implored the Secretary-General to mediate and encourage restraint and dialogue between the two nuclear-armed nations.

“The people of South Asia deserve peace, not war,” he stated, cautioning that India is attempting to establish a hazardous “new normal” of impunity and aggression.

The former Foreign Minister contended that India resorts to force and unilateral actions that contravene international law and the UN Charter. He added, “India’s conduct jeopardizes the fragile peace in the region,” while reiterating Pakistan’s dedication to diplomacy.

Bilawal emphasized the humanitarian repercussions of India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, stating that it endangers millions of lives. “This extends beyond just water; it’s about survival,” he stressed.

Secretary-General Guterres welcomed Pakistan’s plea for peace and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to facilitating dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution. He confirmed that the United Nations is actively involved in supporting initiatives aimed at de-escalating tensions in South Asia.

Speaking to reporters in New York post-meeting, Bilawal strongly criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Modi has become the butcher of Gujarat and Kashmir,” he declared. “He is now aiming to crush the Sindh civilisation.”

He conveyed Pakistan’s readiness for discussions but claimed that India is avoiding them. “Pakistan stands prepared for dialogue, but India consistently evades it,” he informed the press.

Addressing a press conference at the UN Headquarters earlier, the PPP leader urged the international community to encourage India to engage in comprehensive discussions with Pakistan.

“Ceasefire is a welcome first step but it is only a first step. I must emphasise that the global community today is less safe post this ceasefire… it’s simply because the threshold for full-blown military conflict between two nuclear-armed states has come down, it’s not gone up.”

He mentioned that India exploited the Pahalgam attack as a pretext to initiate an assault within Pakistan.

Following the terrorist attack in IIOJK on April 22, PM Shehbaz publicly offered India that Pakistan was prepared to participate in any impartial international investigation into the attack.

“We did so because we were confident, our hands were clean and we had nothing to do with this terrorist attack.

“Indian government refused Pakistan’s offer and chose instead to conduct their illegal strikes. Pakistan only ever acted in self-defence, we never initiated any violence against India.