- No future agreement to hold any value, if IWT disregarded: Butt
- India seeking “immunity to commit aggression”, says Subzwari.
- Dastgir says India neither wants a neutral inquiry nor talks.
LONDON: A high-level Pakistani diplomatic delegation has reached United Kingdom after concluding a series of positive meetings with US Congress members and senators in Washington and New York.
The nine-member delegation led by former foreign minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was involved in more than 50 meetings over a period of five days to present Pakistan’s stance on regional peace and disputes with India and highlight New Delhi’s provocations and aggression against Islamabad.
The delegation include Hina Rabbani Khar, Senator Sherry Rehman, Dr Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Tehmina Janjua, Bushra Anjum Butt and Syed Faisal Subzwari.
The recent conflict between the nuclear-armed countries was triggered by New Delhi after an attack in IIOJK’s Pahalgam on April 22, where gunmen killed at least 26 civilians. India labelled it an act of terrorism orchestrated by Pakistan, a claim denied by leaders in Islamabad. Following this, India attacked Pakistan which led to days-long military engagement between the two neighbouring countries.
Speaking to Geo News, Senator Rehman stated that they held positive meetings with American lawmakers who understood Pakistan’s position.
“Everyone agreed that weaponisation of water was dangerous,” she said, adding that: “India’s identity is becoming that of a belligerent state.” She asserted that IIOJK has become the largest open-air prison.
Sherry also clarified that the Pakistani delegation was not “chasing” the Indian delegation, pointing towards Pakistani and Indian delegation’s visit to the US at the same time. She said: “Our story is our own story.”
She further warned that Pakistan would respond if India were to attack, and stressed that “our goal is to promote peace and negotiations”.
Sherry stated that Pakistan has “more complaints against India” and suggested that the Indian delegation’s sole purpose was to defame Pakistan, whereas the delegation went to the US to “tell Pakistan’s story”.
Subzwari, another member of the diplomatic delegation, told Geo News that their tour began at the United Nations, where they presented Pakistan’s case.
“Even though we showed military superiority, we have come to invite peace,” Subzwari stated. He expressed a desire for global powers to convey to India that “two nuclear powers cannot progress in such a dangerous environment.”
He said India is seeking “immunity to commit aggression without proof,” citing the Pahalgam incident after which India attacked civilian infrastructure on Pakistani soil despite calls for evidence.
He said Pakistan desired for the current ceasefire to lead to “permanent peace”. The country’s stance was presented to the US State Department and members of parliament, and their “peace-based stance has largely been well-received,” he said. He also said they had brought a message of peace in the region, which is India’s failure and Pakistan’s success.
‘Life and death’
Meanwhile, Dastgir emphasised that the issue of water is a matter of life and death for Pakistan, and we will not back down from it.
He noted that Americans initially believed that President Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire meant no further intervention was needed. “Our mission was to make them understand that intervention is necessary as India neither wants a neutral inquiry nor talks,” Dastgir explained.
Jilani, another member of the delegation, said good discussions were held with all members of the UN Security Council. “We met with the UN secretary-general and the president of the UN General Assembly as well,” he said.
He reiterated Pakistan’s stance that “India committed aggression and Pakistan is a peace-loving country.” He mentioned that Pakistan had been urging India for a long time to resolve issues peacefully. He stated that “Pakistan’s response to Indian aggression has dealt a blow to India’s image in the world.”
The former caretaker foreign minister added that India’s long-standing accusations against Pakistan have now been rejected by the international community and that India’s false impression of being a major power has ended.
Jilani further stated that: “Pakistan shot down six Indian planes, jammed their system, and hit military installations,” and also that “after the recent war, the Kashmir issue has emerged as a global issue worldwide”.
Meanwhile, Senator Butt informed Geo News that they discussed the Indus Waters Treaty and the Kashmir issue with UN members. She warned that if the Indus Waters Treaty was disregarded today, “then no future agreement will hold any value”.
“If Pakistan and India go to war, the entire region is affected,” she said. Pointing towards Islamabad’s diplomatic success, she said Pakistan received a “better response in US”.
She highlighted that Pakistan is calling it a ceasefire, while India is calling it a pause. She expressed concern that if the Kashmir and IWT issues were not resolved now, the matter will escalate again in six months, and urged US President Trump to play a role to prevent the region from being affected by war.
Earlier on Saturday, Bilawal said the recent five-day conflict had exposed India’s façade as a so-called “net security provider,” revealing it instead as a source of insecurity for South Asia and the wider global community.
“India’s actions had dangerously lowered the threshold for armed confrontation in the region… they started a war based on a lie and couldn’t even win it,” he said while speaking at a luncheon hosted by Pakistan Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed in honour of the Pakistani multi-party delegation in Washington, DC.
Speaking to the attendees of the luncheon, Bilawal said that India had long portrayed itself to the West, particularly the United States, as a stabilising power, justifying foreign aid and defence deals.
“The American taxpayers’ dollars are subsidising India’s military-industrial complex under the illusion that it provides regional stability. But these five days of conflict proved otherwise,” he said, stressing that a peaceful and stable relationship between India and Pakistan is the only viable path toward security in South Asia.
