Brussels (TDI): Former Foreign Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari cautioned on Saturday that tensions between Pakistan and India will continue to increase without dialogue between the two nuclear-armed countries.
“The region is no longer as safe as it once was. India continues to evade dialogue,” he said during a press conference, urging New Delhi to return to the negotiating table.
Bilawal is leading a high-level parliamentary delegation on a diplomatic tour across Europe and the United States aimed at countering Indian narratives following the latest border conflict.
Prior to arriving in Brussels, the delegation visited Washington, New York, and London to present Pakistan’s official stance on the recent hostilities and highlight the urgency of resolving the Kashmir issue as per UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
The delegation includes notable figures such as Hina Rabbani Khar, Sherry Rehman, Dr. Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Tehmina Janjua, Bushra Anjum Butt, and Syed Faisal Subzwari.
Read More: Bilawal Urges US Support for Pak-India Dialogue
The conflict, sparked by an April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, was blamed on Pakistan, an allegation strongly denied by Islamabad.
India responded with military action that resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians. After three days of continuous Indian strikes, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, which Islamabad described as a legitimate act of self-defense.
According to Pakistan, the operation resulted in the downing of six Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafales, as well as dozens of drones. The intense military exchange came to a halt on May 10, following a US-brokered ceasefire.
Read More: Pakistan-India War Threshold at Historic Low: Bilawal
Despite the ceasefire, Bilawal stressed that true peace remains elusive.
“A ceasefire has been signed, but peace has not been achieved,” he said, condemning India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as an act of environmental weaponization.
“India is trying to provoke Pakistan by threatening to stop our water. We will not accept such bullying,” Bilawal stated firmly.
He reiterated Pakistan’s position that war is not the answer, especially in a region where both sides possess nuclear capabilities.
