Calls for global diplomacy to prevent nuclear conflict escalation
WASHINGTON — Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday addressed a press conference at the United Nations Headquarters, raising serious concerns over India’s recent military actions. Leading a high-level parliamentary delegation, he accused India of violating international law by launching strikes inside Pakistan on May 7, targeting civilian infrastructure and places of worship.
Bilawal stated that India used the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), as a pretext for aggression. He emphasized that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all forms and had even offered to join an international investigation, confident in its innocence. However, India rejected this offer and proceeded with what he described as “illegal strikes.”
Highlighting Pakistan’s response, Bilawal claimed the military acted purely in self-defense and only targeted six Indian planes believed to have carried out the initial attack. He further mentioned that India later launched missile strikes, which were met with similar responses from Pakistan. The swift military exchanges raised fears of a full-scale conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The PPP chairman acknowledged the international community’s role in achieving a ceasefire, especially praising U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their diplomatic efforts. However, he warned that the ceasefire alone was not enough and that the world was now more vulnerable to rapid military escalation in South Asia.
In his closing remarks, Bilawal urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take a more active role in promoting de-escalation and peace. He stressed that continued dialogue and diplomacy were the only reliable solutions to prevent future conflicts and maintain global security.