Bilawal warns of water war risk

The head of the Pakistan parliamentary delegation and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called on the international community Friday to engage with India and emphasise that military confrontation was not a solution to the Kashmir dispute or terrorism, stressing that dialogue was the only way forward.
Speaking to the European think tanks and international media representatives in Brussels, Bilawal warned that India's aggressive posture, including threats to revoke the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), could escalate tensions to dangerous levels.
"We are here to present Pakistan's stance on recent tensions with India and expose New Delhi's anti-Pakistan agenda," he said.
He emphasised that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute must be resolved in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Bilawal criticised India's "new abnormal" policy of blaming Pakistan for any terrorist attack in India or Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir without evidence, leading to immediate threats of war.
He recalled that Pakistan had proposed an impartial international investigation into the recent Pahalgam incident, but India rejected the offer. He condemned India's suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, calling it a violation of international law and a "war crime" that threatens water access for 240 million Pakistanis. "If India weaponises water, we may have no choice but to retaliate, risking a full-blown water war," he warned.
Bilawal reiterated that Pakistan had shown restraint, offered dialogue, and adhered to international law, urging the same standards be applied in South Asia as in Europe. "If the world ignores this crisis, it could become a nuclear flashpoint," he cautioned.
On the Pahalgam attack, Bilawal stated that India had failed to provide evidence linking Pakistan to the incident. "To this day, India hasn't revealed the identities of the attackers or how they crossed the heavily militarised border," he said.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Express Tribune

21 minutes ago

• Express Tribune

Pakistan, China & BD set up trilateral forum

China, Pakistan and Bangladesh have formed a first trilateral forum, in a significant development that highlights new alignments in the region. The first meeting of the newly-formed trilateral meeting was held in Kunming, Yunnan province of China on Thursday. The talks, held on June 19, brought together Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Bangladesh's Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique, and Pakistan's Additional Secretary for Asia-Pacific, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui. Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch also joined the first phase of the discussions via video link. Bangladesh had strained ties with Pakistan and relationship with China was not smooth during the 15-year-rule of Sheikh Hasina Wajid. But since her ouster in August last year, relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh have seen dramatic improvement while China has also stepped in to advance its interests. The establishment of trilateral forum was the result of behind the scene efforts by three countries. It will certain raise eye brows in India, which suffered a setback after the removal of Hasina government. Pakistan, China and Bangladesh, however, stressed that their new initiative was not aimed at any third country. According to the statement of Chinese Foreign Ministry, Vice Foreign Minister Sun reiterated Beijing's commitment to fostering a "community with a shared future" among neighboring countries. He described both Pakistan and Bangladesh as "good neighbors, good friends, and important partners in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation." "All three countries are key members of the Global South and share the mission of national revitalization and modernization," Sun said. "This trilateral cooperation is not only in line with the collective aspirations of our people but is also essential for ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in the region." The trilateral dialogue focused on promoting economic development and improving the quality of life across the three nations. The delegations held in-depth discussions on launching cooperation initiatives in sectors such as industry, trade, maritime affairs, water resources, agriculture, climate change, education, youth exchange, healthcare, think tank collaboration, and human resource development. The three countries agreed to establish a joint working group to monitor and implement the proposals and understandings reached during the meeting. All sides emphasised that the China-Pakistan-Bangladesh trilateral engagement would be guided by principles of good-neighborliness, mutual trust, inclusivity, and win-win development. They also clarified that the framework adheres to true multilateralism and open regionalism, and is not aimed against any third party. The meeting marks a new phase in regional diplomacy, with China aiming to build broader cooperative platforms that extend beyond traditional bilateral engagements. Observers say the Kunming meeting could serve as a foundation for future China-led initiatives in South Asia, with an emphasis on development-driven diplomacy.

Express Tribune

2 hours ago

• Express Tribune

Pakistan nominates Trump for 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

Listen to article The government has formally decided to recommend US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, praising his decisive diplomatic intervention and leadership during the recent Pakistan-India standoff, according to an official statement released Friday. Islamabad cited what it called 'unprovoked and unlawful' Indian aggression against Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties, including women, children and the elderly. 'This constituted a grave violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity,' the statement added. In response, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, described as a measured and precise military action aimed at re-establishing deterrence while avoiding civilian harm. The operation, the statement said, was in 'exercise of the fundamental right of self-defence'. Read More: Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos: Pakistan counters India's Operation Sindoor The intervention of President Trump, coupled with robust engagement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is credited with facilitating a ceasefire agreement on May 10, effectively preventing a wider conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations, the statement read. Trump's 'strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship' helped de-escalate the crisis through vigorous diplomatic engagement with both Islamabad and New Delhi. 'His intervention secured a ceasefire and averted a broader conflict between the two nuclear states,' the statement added, calling the move a watershed moment for regional peace. Government of Pakistan Recommends President Donald J. Trump for 2026 Nobel Peace Prize The Government of Pakistan has decided to formally recommend President Donald J. Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal… — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) June 20, 2025 The statement further said the government acknowledges and greatly admires Trump's offers to mediate the long-standing Jammu and Kashmir dispute—a flashpoint that continues to destabilise South Asia. 'Durable peace in South Asia will remain elusive until UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir are implemented,' it stated. In formally backing Trump's Nobel nomination, the statement said: 'President Trump's leadership during the 2025 Pakistan–India crisis manifestly showcases the continuation of his legacy of pragmatic diplomacy and effective peace-building.' Also Read: Shehbaz hails Trump as 'man of peace' The United States is said to have leveraged diplomatic and economic pressure—particularly trade leverage—to expedite de-escalation. The statement concluded by expressing hope that Trump's diplomatic efforts would further promote regional and global stability, 'particularly amid ongoing crises in Gaza and the escalating situation in Iran.' Pakistan thus becomes one of the first countries to put forward Trump's name for the prestigious Nobel accolade, typically reserved for individuals with demonstrable contributions to peace and conflict prevention.

Business Recorder

3 hours ago

• Business Recorder

Trump says Europe will not be able to help much with Iran-Israel war

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Europe would not be able to help much in the war between Iran and Israel. 'Europe is not going to be able to help with this one,' Trump said. European powers urge Iran to continue US nuclear talks European foreign ministers urged Iran on Friday to engage with Washington over its nuclear program after talks in Geneva aimed at opening negotiations for a new nuclear deal ended with little sign of progress.