Former foreign minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has warned that the threat of full-scale war between Pakistan and India is at an all-time high. In an interview with the New York Post, he blamed India’s recent unilateral actions for dangerously lowering the threshold for armed conflict in the region.
Bilawal’s comments came in the wake of a deadly attack in Pahalgam, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where 26 civilians were killed on April 22. India blamed Pakistan for orchestrating the attack — a claim strongly denied by Islamabad.
In response to the accusations, India launched unprovoked strikes into Pakistani territory. After three days of attacks, Pakistan retaliated with “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos,” downing six Indian fighter jets, including Rafales, and dozens of drones. A ceasefire was reached on May 10, with mediation from the United States.
Bilawal thanked U.S. President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for helping secure the ceasefire but stressed that this was only the beginning. “We’re incredibly grateful for the role the U.S. played in achieving this ceasefire,” he said. “But it’s only a start. We seek peace through dialogue and diplomacy.”
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Since the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan has repeatedly urged India to share credible evidence and proposed an independent international investigation. Speaking in London on June 9, Bilawal said: “India accused Pakistan without evidence. We offered an impartial international inquiry into the incident.”
He stressed that Pakistan remains open to working with India on counterterrorism efforts. “The Prime Minister of Pakistan offered an impartial international inquiry because we were confident that Pakistan is not involved in this terrorist incident,” Bilawal added. “The international intelligence community endorses this view.”
He also warned that any future terrorist attack in India could automatically trigger war due to the current climate. “If there’s a terrorist attack anywhere in India, it immediately means war,” he said. “And by the law of reciprocation, the same would apply in Pakistan.”
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Water Threats, EU Tour Highlight Pakistan’s Concerns
Bilawal also criticized India’s threats to block Pakistan’s water supply, calling it “an existential matter” and warning it would be considered “an act of war.”
He emphasized the importance of honoring previous agreements like the Indus Water Treaty if both nations are to engage in future dialogue. “If we are to engage in a new dialogue with India… it’s important they abide by the old treaties,” he stated.
Following his visits to Washington, New York, and London, Bilawal is now in Brussels leading a nine-member Pakistani parliamentary delegation. The team will meet European Union and Belgian officials to highlight India’s recent provocations and aggressive actions.
The delegation is also scheduled to meet with international media and European think tanks to raise awareness about India’s destabilizing role in South Asia and the urgent need for de-escalation.
