A delegation led by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday met several global leaders, including China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong, to discuss the evolving security situation in South Asia, with special emphasis on last month’s conflict with India.
The meetings in New York sought to apprise the world of Pakistan’s efforts to maintain peace and stability in the face of Indian belligerence. In a statement on X, Bhutto-Zardari said he had expressed the people of Pakistan’s heartfelt gratitude for China’s unwavering support during India’s provocations.
“It is regrettable that India rejected Pakistan’s offer for an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation,” he said, referring to the Pahalgam attack in India-held Kashmir that Delhi had used as pretext to attack civilian infrastructure in Pakistan.
Emphasizing that resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute was necessary for lasting peace in South Asia, the former foreign minister urged China to play an active role in resolving the issue through multilateral cooperation, in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The delegation, which includes several parliamentarians and former diplomats, also shared details of India’s arbitrary attacks on Pakistan, its deliberate targeting of civilians, its involvement in funding and supporting terrorism in Pakistan, and the provocative suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty in clear violation of international law.
Both Pakistan and China agreed that unilateral and aggressive actions pose a serious threat to regional peace and must be opposed. They also reaffirmed their commitment to resolving disputes peacefully, adhering to the principles of the U.N. Charter, respecting international law, and preserving the sanctity of treaties.
“I condemned India’s reckless actions, including its weaponization of water, and reaffirmed that IIOJK [Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir] remains an unresolved dispute and a fault line for regional peace,” Bhutto-Zardari said of the meeting on X. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the ceasefire, regional stability, and a peaceful resolution in accordance with the U.N. Charter, and urged the global community to reject India’s dangerous “new normal” of aggression.
Additionally, the Pakistani delegation met the Permanent Representative of Russia to the U.N. and conveyed Pakistan’s principled stance in the wake of India’s unprovoked aggression. During the meeting, Bhutto-Zardari highlighted Pakistan’s responsible and measured approach, underscoring the imperative of a lasting ceasefire, while also drawing attention to India’s dangerous weaponization of water.
Bhutto-Zardari said he had reiterated Pakistan’s call for comprehensive dialogue to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions and urged Moscow to support efforts for regional stability and a rules-based international order anchored in the U.N. Charter.
UNSC and OIC
In its meeting with ambassadors of the U.N. Security Council’s elected members, the delegation conveyed Pakistan’s principled and responsible stance in the face of India’s escalating provocations. Bhutto-Zardari said he had reaffirmed Pakistan’s abiding commitment to restraint, diplomacy, dialogue, and a rules-based international order.
He underscored the dangers posed by India’s weaponization of water by violating the Indus Waters Treaty, and reiterated the need to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with Security Council resolutions.
“Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and remains a victim of terrorism that is planned and sponsored from beyond its borders,” he said. “While Pakistan does not seek conflict, it stands fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. South Asia cannot afford another crisis,” he emphasized.
In a separate meeting with UNSC President Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett¸ the delegation stressed on the need to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute for sustainable peace in South Asia. “The time has come to move from conflict management to conflict resolution,” it said and apprised the envoy of Pakistan’s concerns over India’s illegal violations to the Indus Waters Treaty. They urged the UNSC to uphold international law and its own mandate.
The meeting with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Group of Ambassadors dealt with rising Islamophobia in India, ongoing repression in India-held Kashmir, disinformation campaigns, and attempts to undermine the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for self-determination.
“The Muslim Ummah must remain united in rejecting such narratives and standing firm for justice,” the delegation stressed, and also apprised the OIC Group of the grave implications of India’s aggression. Bhutto-Zardari said he had thanked the OIC for its principled and consistent support to Pakistan, and urged continued collective efforts to safeguard peace and security in South Asia.
The delegation additionally met acting U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Dorothy Shea and emphasized that South Asia cannot afford perpetual conflict. It underscored Pakistan’s longstanding partnership with the U.S., including robust cooperation on counterterrorism and shared efforts for regional stability.
Bhutto-Zardari appreciated President Donald Trump and his team’s role in facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India. Reaffirming Pakistan’s sustained commitment to peace, and its demonstrated capacity to respond decisively to aggression in defense of its sovereignty, the delegation emphasized the importance of preserving the Indus Water Treaty, preventing the weaponization of water, and maintaining a durable ceasefire. “Diplomacy and cooperation are the only path forward,” it said.
Both Pakistan and India are currently engaging foreign states to advance their narrative after last month’s conflict between the nuclear nations.