LONDON (Kashmir English): A high-level Pakistani delegation has arrived in the United Kingdom after completing a busy five-day visit to the United States, where they held over 50 meetings with members of Congress and the Senate in Washington and New York.
The nine-member Pakistani delegation was led by former foreign minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
The group engaged with American lawmakers to present Pakistan’s viewpoint on regional peace and its ongoing disputes with India, while also drawing attention to what they described as Indian aggression and provocation towards Pakistan.
The Pakistani delegation included senior political figures and diplomats such as Hina Rabbani Khar, Senator Sherry Rehman, Dr Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Tehmina Janjua, Bushra Anjum Butt, and Syed Faisal Subzwari.
Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours rose after a deadly incident on April 22 in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where gunmen killed at least 26 civilians.
India blamed Pakistan for the attack, an allegation that Islamabad strongly denied. The situation escalated into military skirmishes after Indian forces launched attacks inside Pakistan.
Speaking to a news channel, Senator Sherry Rehman said the meetings with US lawmakers were encouraging and that they showed a clear understanding of Pakistan’s position.
“Everyone agreed that weaponisation of water was dangerous,” she said, adding that “India’s identity is becoming that of a belligerent state.” She also described IIOJK as the “largest open-air prison.”
Responding to suggestions that the Pakistani delegation was attempting to counter the presence of Indian representatives in the US at the same time, Sherry clarified, “Our story is our own story.”
She further warned that Pakistan would respond to any future Indian attacks and emphasised the importance of promoting peace and dialogue.
Sherry noted that Pakistan had “more complaints against India” and claimed the Indian delegation’s main aim was to “defame Pakistan.” In contrast, she said the Pakistani delegation came to the US “to tell Pakistan’s story.”
Another delegate, Syed Faisal Subzwari, said that the visit began at the United Nations, where the team presented Pakistan’s case.
“Even though we showed military superiority, we have come to invite peace,” he said. Subzwari urged world powers to tell India that “two nuclear powers cannot progress in such a dangerous environment.”
He accused India of seeking “immunity to commit aggression without proof,” referring to the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Indian strikes on civilian targets in Pakistan.
He expressed hope that the current ceasefire could become a step towards “permanent peace.”
Subzwari said Pakistan’s stance had been shared with the US State Department and lawmakers and that the “peace-based stance has largely been well-received.”
He concluded by saying that the message of peace was a sign of Pakistan’s strength and India’s failure.
