NEWYORK: Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has warned the international community that India’s recent military actions pose a grave threat to peace and stability in South Asia and urged to take decisive action against India.
Speaking at a press conference at the United Nations headquarters, Bilawal condemned what he called India’s “illegal strikes” and accused New Delhi of using the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack as a pretext for military aggression. Bilawal is leading a high-level Pakistani parliamentary delegation currently on a diplomatic mission to counter India’s narrative and present Pakistan’s stance on recent regional developments following a sharp escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
At the UN, Bilawal accused India of launching air strikes under its so-called Operation Sindoor, targeting civilian infrastructure, places of worship, and energy facilities inside Pakistan. He labelled the strikes a violation of international law and the UN Charter. “These were illegal, unprovoked strikes that endangered the innocent lives of women, children, and civilians,” Bilawal said. “We did not initiate any aggression. Pakistan only responded in self-defence.”
Addressing the military response, Bilawal revealed that the Pakistan Air Force downed six Indian fighter jets believed to be responsible for airstrikes on Pakistani territory. “We acted with precision and restraint,” he stated. “Only the aircraft that had released their payloads on Pakistani soil were targeted.”
Bilawal reiterated Pakistan’s public offer for an impartial international investigation into the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), which left several Indian security personnel dead. He said the offer was rejected by India.
“We were confident in our innocence. We condemned the attack and extended condolences. Our Prime Minister even offered full cooperation in an impartial inquiry,” he said. “India chose confrontation instead.”
Bilawal acknowledged the diplomatic role played by U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in diffusing the crisis. “They were instrumental in achieving a ceasefire. But next time, the international community may not have time to react before things escalate dangerously,” he warned.
The former foreign minister also accused India of using water as a weapon and targeting water reservoirs during its strikes. “No civilised country should support the use of water as a weapon,” he said, urging global powers to intervene. “Imagine the outrage if a nation’s lifeline was deliberately cut off.”
Bilawal reiterated that the core issue fuelling Indo-Pak tensions remains the unresolved Kashmir conflict. “Without resolving Kashmir, peace in South Asia will remain elusive.”
Emphasising Pakistan’s longstanding role in the fight against terrorism, Bilawal noted that his country has suffered the highest number of terror attacks globally. “No country has faced more terrorism than Pakistan,” he said. “I know this personally — my mother, Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated by terrorists.”
Following their UN engagements, the Pakistani delegation is scheduled to visit Washington, where it will meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. lawmakers, officials, and think tanks on June 06. The delegation will also make stops in London and Brussels as part of Pakistan’s broader diplomatic outreach.
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