Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari firmly dismissed India’s accusations that Pakistan supports terrorist groups conducting attacks beyond its borders.
“Pakistan neither allows nor endorses any group to carry out terrorist activities, whether inside or outside our country,” he told Indian journalist Karan Thapar in an interview.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s heavy toll in the fight against terrorism, Bilawal highlighted the nation’s sacrifices. “Pakistan has endured a brutal war against terrorism, losing 92,000 lives, including over 1,200 civilians in more than 200 attacks last year alone,” he added.
He warned, “If this trend continues, 2025 could be the bloodiest year in our history.”
Drawing from personal tragedy, Bilawal – whose mother and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated – expressed empathy for victims of terrorism, saying, “As a victim myself, I deeply understand the pain of those affected by attacks like the one in Pahalgam.”
He outlined Pakistan’s relentless efforts to combat terrorism, including military operations in South Waziristan during his father’s presidency and in North Waziristan under subsequent governments. Bilawal also pointed to Pakistan’s compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), noting, “We underwent a rigorous FATF process with strict monitoring, proving our commitment to dismantling terrorist networks.”
Rejecting India’s claims about the April Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Bilawal noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered to join an impartial international inquiry, an offer India declined.
“Our hands are clean,” he asserted, criticising India for withholding evidence.
He noted that modern technology has not enabled India to identify the perpetrators, accusing Indian media of spreading “false propaganda” and misleading the public.
He also traced the origins of terrorism to Afghanistan, highlighting the role of Al-Qaeda and similar groups, some of which operated in Kashmir under the banner of jihad
He emphasised the need for collective action to confront global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, and inequality.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the PPP chairman stated that establishing peace in the region is a shared mission for the people of Pakistan and India.
“The new generation of both nations has the potential to break the chains of history,” the PPP leader said. He added that the youth will be the ones to resist hatred, war, and bullying.
“Our future should not be tied to conflict, but to peaceful coexistence, cooperation, and prosperity,” he added.
The PPP chairman added that he is not afraid of presenting his case to the Indian media and public.
Bilawal also highlighted his leadership of a parliamentary delegation to global capitals to counter Indian propaganda post-conflict, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to peace and truth.
Earlier, Bilawal had called on the international community to stand by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, saying the country has acted as the frontline state in this global war and continues to pay a heavy price.
Bilawal also raised concerns over digital propaganda, calling it a modern and complex threat that further complicated counter-terrorism efforts
The interview comes amid tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries in the wake of their recent military confrontation, sparked by New Delhi’s baseless allegations against Islamabad over a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
Pakistan’s retaliatory “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos” targeted Indian military sites before a US-brokered ceasefire, credited to President Donald Trump, ended the hostilities.
While Pakistan praised Trump’s mediation and nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, India disputed his role, claiming the ceasefire was not due to US intervention.