Former Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, has issued a stark warning that India’s declared “new normal” of aggression is neither sustainable nor beneficial to its own interests, especially considering that both Islamabad and New Delhi are nuclear-armed powers.
Just hours after a ceasefire was established between the two nations earlier this month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that ‘Operation Sindoor’ had “carved out a new benchmark in our fight against terrorism and has set up a new parameter and new normal.”
Pakistan and India brought a halt to their most intense fighting in nearly three decades by agreeing to a ceasefire on May 10, following four days of severe cross-border drone and missile strikes—which commenced after India launched unprovoked attacks on Islamabad.
Speaking to state-run television on Wednesday, Bilawal, who is slated to lead the government’s diplomatic delegation to counter India’s narrative globally, underscored that any full-scale conflict between the two neighboring states would have ramifications extending far beyond their respective borders.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has entrusted Bilawal and a high-level delegation with the responsibility of briefing world leaders, parliamentarians, and international media in various countries about Pakistan’s peace-focused stance.
Bilawal articulated that enduring peace in the region is unattainable without addressing critical issues such as Kashmir, cross-border terrorism, and India’s alleged weaponization of water resources.
The PPP chief stated that India’s narrative of normalizing hostility is constructed upon falsehoods, hatred, and division. He remarked, “Pakistan stands with truth and peace, while India’s stance is grounded in falsehoods and aggression.”
He strongly condemned India’s attempts to politicize water through alleged violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, labeling it a “serious development” and a form of hybrid warfare.
“Future generations will be fighting over water if this continues,” Bilawal cautioned. “Our diplomatic outreach will elucidate Pakistan’s responsible conduct during the recent conflict and highlight India’s provocations.”
(Image: Climate Minister Musadik Malik (right) and former foreign minister Khurram Dastgir speak to a reporter in Islamabad, on May 21, 2025. — Geo News)
Bilawal also observed that throughout the recent episode, Pakistan merely exercised its inherent right to self-defense. “The global community recognized our restraint,” he added.
Climate Minister Musadik Malik, also a member of the delegation, asserted that India’s arrogance had been shattered. He stated that India had attempted to establish a “new normal” through aggression, but Pakistan’s decisive response disproved its baseless allegations.
“India targeted civilians in this conflict. Their Rafale boast was deflated — we witnessed them falling like birds,” Musadik remarked.
Another member of the delegation, former Foreign Minister Khurram Dastgir, added that India’s aggressive posture emanates from its anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan rhetoric. “India is acting like an irresponsible state and engaging in water terrorism,” he concluded.
