KEY POINTS
- Bilawal warns that lack of communication only fuels terrorism and increases the risk of war.
- The former foreign minister accused India of politicising terrorism to damage Pakistan’s global image.
- Bilawal stresses that sustainable peace requires long-term people-to-people engagement.
- He warns India against violating the Indus Waters Treaty, vowing that any attempt to block Pakistan’s water share will provoke a strong national response.
- Citing Pakistan’s elevation to UN counterterrorism committees and US willingness to mediate Kashmir, he says the world is increasingly receptive to Pakistan’s narrative.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for the immediate resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and India to avoid regional instability.
Warning of the dire consequences of continued silence between the two nuclear powers, Bilawal emphasised that the absence of communication only serves to fuel terrorism and heighten the risk of conflict in South Asia.
Addressing lawmakers at Pakistan’s National Assembly on Monday during the budget debate, Bilawal cautioned that peace cannot be achieved in isolation and stressed the necessity of bilateral cooperation, particularly in counterterrorism.
“If India and Pakistan refuse to talk, and if there is no coordination on terrorism, then violence will only intensify in both countries,” he warned.
India accused of politicising terrorism
The former foreign minister did not hold back in criticising the Indian government for what he termed a calculated misuse of terrorism narratives.
New Delhi has consistently attempted to undermine Pakistan’s progress on international forums, especially during his tenure as Foreign Minister, he recalled.
He recounted how India had aggressively lobbied during his diplomatic visits to the UK and EU to reverse Pakistan’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
“India wanted us back on the grey list and used misinformation campaigns to try to make it happen,” Bilawal claimed, adding that the attempt ultimately failed due to the resilience of Pakistan’s foreign office and leadership.
Call for lasting peace
Bilawal argued that peace cannot be limited to a temporary ceasefire but must be grounded in meaningful engagement, particularly among the youth of both nations.
“Peace must go beyond the silence of guns. It must translate into a long-term understanding,” he said.
Criticising Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s doctrine of escalation, Bilawal noted that any terrorist act on Indian soil is now used as justification for aggressive moves against Pakistan.
He asked whether Pakistan should adopt a similar approach. “We suffer more attacks than India—some with Indian links. If we mirrored their policy, we would be surrendering our future to terrorists,” he cautioned.
Indus Waters Treaty a potential flashpoint
Bilawal delivered a stark warning to India: uphold the Indus Waters Treaty or face serious consequences.
He insisted that Pakistan would not tolerate any violation of its water rights and pledged that the country’s armed forces were ready to respond if provoked. “We will reclaim all six rivers for our people if necessary,” he declared.
He emphasised that water, like terrorism, could become a tool of aggression in the region and that any tampering with the treaty would be seen as an act of hostility.
“India must realize that delaying or exploiting the treaty would ignite a new and dangerous chapter in our history,” Bilawal said.
Diplomatic wins and international recognition
Bilawal also highlighted Pakistan’s growing stature on the global stage, particularly its successful representation at the United Nations.
Despite India’s efforts to paint Pakistan as a hub for terrorism, he noted that Pakistan had not only defended its position but had also been appointed to chair key UN committees on counterterrorism and Taliban affairs.
“These appointments were a clear message: the world is beginning to differentiate between actual threats and politically motivated accusations,” he said.
Kashmir, Trump, and global perception
Bilawal pointed to US President Donald Trump’s willingness to mediate the Kashmir dispute as a notable diplomatic success.
“Despite Indian protests, the US State Department acknowledged that Trump was ready to mediate. That’s a win for Pakistan’s foreign policy,” Bilawal said.
He drew parallels between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alleging that Indian actions in Kashmir mirrored Israeli policies in Gaza.
“There’s a Netanyahu-lookalike in our region,” he said, accusing India of adopting expansionist and oppressive policies.
Economic pressure and budget priorities
Bilawal turned his attention to domestic issues, particularly Pakistan’s economic struggles. He praised the federal government for resisting external and internal efforts to sabotage the IMF agreement and welcomed the decision to increase defence spending while also offering relief to salaried workers.
He expressed satisfaction that, for the first time in years, the income tax threshold had been raised to Rs 1 million, calling it a major relief for the middle class.
Bilawal also reiterated his party’s longstanding demand for South Punjab to receive 30% of Punjab’s development funds, thanking the prime minister for promising prior consultation in the next budget cycle.
Agriculture, water, and climate adaptation
Bilawal lamented the government’s inability to deliver on PPP’s proposed agricultural reforms, particularly for terrorism-hit areas like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He called for a national agricultural conference and a comprehensive investment strategy in the sector. “Our food security is tied to how we support our farmers today,” he warned.
He emphasised the urgency of transitioning from outdated flood irrigation systems to modern, water-efficient methods.
“Pakistan owns one of the world’s largest irrigation networks, but we still use methods from another century,” he noted. Bilawal advocated for federal-provincial cooperation to implement smart irrigation, especially in arid zones like Cholistan and Thar.
Opposition to tax on solar panel
Bilawal condemned the proposed 20% tax on solar energy, arguing it would disproportionately impact low-income and rural communities. “In many areas we represent, solar power is not a luxury—it’s a necessity,” he said.
He also criticised the abrupt halving of Sindh’s higher education budget, calling the decision unjust and short-sighted.
Following PPP’s protests, the federal government restored the promised funding, which Bilawal cited as an example of successful political engagement.
