- Bilawal meets Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jim Banks.
- Also engages Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove.
- Members of Congress reiterated US support for Pakistanis.
As part of Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic outreach initiative in the aftermath of the recent armed confrontation with India, a high-level diplomatic delegation has met various US lawmakers to present Pakistan’s stance and highlight New Delhi’s provocations and aggression against Islamabad.
Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who is leading a nine-member high-level parliamentary delegation across several countries, has held a series of significant meetings with members of the US Congress on Capitol Hill, Radio Pakistan reported.
Members of the parliamentary delegation include Hina Rabbani Khar, Sherry Rehman, Dr Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Tehmina Janjua, Bushra Anjum Butt and Syed Faisal Subzwari.
The diplomatic initiatives by both Pakistan and India come after the two nuclear-armed neighbours carried out cross-border attacks against each other in the aftermath of the Pahalgam incident — where 26 tourists were killed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s (IIOJK) — after which New Delhi launched airstrikes inside Pakistan prompting the latter to retaliate via Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.
Pakistan downed six IAF fighter jets, including three Rafale, and dozens of drones. After at least 87 hours, the war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.
In his latest diplomatic interaction in the US, Bilawal met with US Senator Chris Van Hollen where he accentuated “Pakistan’s deep concerns over India’s increasingly belligerent posture and its refusal to engage, whether through dialogue, joint investigation, or third-party facilitation”.
The politician, as per a statement on his X account, further that India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) constitutes a grave violation of international obligations, threatening the livelihoods of 240 million Pakistanis.
He also lauded the US commitment to regional peace and welcomed its role in promoting de-escalation and reaffirmed Pakistan’s enduring belief that lasting peace in South Asia is possible, through inclusive dialogue that addresses all outstanding disputes, with Jammu and Kashmir at the core.
Meanwhile, during his meeting with Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on South & Central Asia, Bilawal held a frank discussion on peace and stability in our region. Shared Pakistan’s concerns over the “new abnormal” imposed by Indian PM Narendra Modi, where every incident by nameless actors triggers unprovoked aggression, risking war between two nuclear-armed neighbours.
He also raised India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, a dangerous precedent and weaponisation of water that the world must not allow. India cannot be a net security provider while destabilising its own neighbourhood.
Furthermore, the former FM also met Senator Jim Banks and commended US President Donald Trump’s role in facilitating the ceasefire understanding, intended as a pathway to broader, sustained peace and dialogue.
Raising concerns over India’s recent provocations, the deepening humanitarian crisis in IIOJK, and the alarming precedent set by the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, he underscored that there was no military solution to the challenges which can only be addressed via diplomacy and dialogue.
Meanwhile, during their interaction with the Pakistani delegation, the members of the Congress, urged both countries to demonstrate restraint and prioritise regional peace and stability and reiterated the US support for the people of Pakistan and its commitment to aiding the country’s economic development.
