In a strongly worded press conference at the United Nations, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari raised global alarm over what he described as India's "illegal strikes" inside Pakistan, calling the incident a dangerous turning point in India-Pakistan military conflict.
Leading a high-level parliamentary delegation, Bilawal said that on May 7th, India violated international law and the UN Charter by launching airstrikes targeting Pakistan's civilian infrastructure — including places of worship, dams, and energy systems — resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives, including women and children.
He claimed India used the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) as a pretext for its aggression. "Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms," Bilawal said, "but we reject India’s narrative and their reckless justification for military escalation."
According to Bilawal, Pakistan had offered to participate in an impartial international investigation into the Pahalgam incident. “We made that offer with confidence because our hands were clean. India rejected it and instead chose confrontation,” he added.
The PPP chief revealed that during the initial attack, Pakistan’s military responded with precision, targeting and downing six aircraft believed to have dropped payloads inside Pakistani territory. What followed, he said, was a series of missile strikes exchanged between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Crediting international diplomacy, Bilawal thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for helping to achieve a ceasefire. However, he cautioned that peace remains fragile.
“This is just a first step. The threshold for full-blown India-Pakistan military conflict has dangerously lowered,” he warned. “Next time, the world may not get the chance to intervene before things spiral out of control.”
Calling for urgent diplomatic engagement, Bilawal emphasized that dialogue is the only path forward. “The region cannot afford to be held hostage by non-state actors or political agendas that weaponize terrorism,” he stressed.
Recalling Pakistan's own sacrifices in the fight against terror, Bilawal highlighted the nation's progress, including its removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) list. “We fought terrorism tooth and nail. Our military and political leadership faced it on the front lines — in South and North Waziristan,” he said.
The PPP leader also accused India of using terrorism as a tool to marginalize Muslims both inside the country and in the region. “This dangerous narrative must be challenged. We cannot let 1.7 billion people in South Asia live under the constant threat of war.”
In closing, Bilawal reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to work with India on counter-terrorism, but only through sincere cooperation and respect for international law.
