Pakistan's Bilawal Bhutto Just Got Fact-Checked at the UN Vantage with Palki Sharma
Pakistan's Bilawal Bhutto Just Got Fact-Checked at the UN | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G
Pakistan's Bilawal Bhutto Just Got Fact-Checked at the UN | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G
He's got two powerful last names and a polished accent—but Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's latest diplomatic outing was anything but smooth. After India's swift global outreach post Operation Sindoor, Pakistan sent Bilawal to New York... with little more than delusions and recycled talking points. From bizarre calls for India-ISI collaboration to sweeping claims about Indian Muslims, Bilawal fumbled fact after fact—until a journalist fact-checked him live. Palki Sharma tells you why Pakistan's "nepo prince" turned a UN stage into a PR disaster.
See More
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
34 minutes ago
- Hans India
Pakistani army acts as custodian of ideologies, religion: Former diplomat DP Srivastava
Former Indian diplomat D.P. Srivastava stated that Pakistan's Army challenges the concept of sovereignty by acting as a custodian of ideologies and religion, rather than focusing on national frontiers like the military forces of other nations. Srivastava also slammed the radical Islamist ideology in Pakistan, which pits the nation against its neighbouring countries, including India. In an interview with IANS, the former diplomat also talked about Pakistani Army's Field Marshal General Asim Munir's April 16 speech, just days before the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 innocent people lost their lives at the hands of terrorists belonging to The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. He hailed Operation Sindoor and said that it reflected a major shift in India's security doctrine. He also commented on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's G7 invite. The following are the excerpts from the interview: IANS: Could you tell us something about your book "Pakistan -- Ideologies, Strategies and Interests"? D.P. Srivastava: My postings took me to Karachi, Pakistan, and the early 1990s. I dealt with Pakistan, among other issues, in the UN division of the Ministry of External Affairs for eight years in the '90s, and during this, I dealt with Kashmir talks to the Pokhran nuclear test and Kargil. The inspiration for the book came from my posting to Karachi, where I heard the phrase 'Nazaria-e-Pakistan', which means the ideology of Pakistan. This is the very phrase used by Gen Munir, who mentioned this in his speech on April 16, days before the Pahalgam terror attack. My book traces the interpretation of ideology and elite interest in the making of Pakistan's domestic and foreign policy. IANS: What is the ideology of Pakistan? Gen Asim Munir mentioned "superior ideology" and the two-nation theory in his speech on April 16. What is this ideology? D.P. Srivastava: The ideology of Pakistan remains vague due to various influential factors within the country. In 1972, two provincial governments were dismissed, and the principal opposition party, the National Awami Party, was banned after the Supreme Court of Pakistan stated that the party was contrary to the ideology of Pakistan. Notably, this occurred before the formation of the country's new constitution, indicating that the ideology preceded the Constitution in Pakistan. There are different views of what this ideology is. Iqbal, who is known as the best explainer of Pakistani ideology, said that in Islam, religion and state are integral to each other, so he ruled out the idea of secularism, and he also opposed the idea of nationalism. Iqbal also stressed the concept of Umma, which is pan-Islamism, and these are the concepts at the root of Pakistan's current trouble where the jihadi groups do not accept the supremacy of the Parliament, the sovereignty of which, is also challenged by the Army. The jihadi philosophy has always pitted Pakistan against its neighbours, including, what they call "the Hindu India, Shia Iran, and Sunni Afghanistan". IANS: What is the mindset of the Pakistan Army? D.P. Srivastava: To understand the mindset Pakistan Army, one should go back to Gen Asim Munir's April 16 speech, where he reminded his Pakistani audience that they belong to a superior ideology. What is this ideology, one may ask? (Former Pakistani President) Ayub Khan described it as Islam. It is very strange that the Pakistani army chiefs talk about ideology and Islam. In other nations, the armies protect the national frontiers, while in Pakistan, the army has become a custodian of ideologies and religion. Seems like Gen Munir has assumed the priest and a general. The Pakistani army has institutionalised its role in the running of the government, where the civilian parties have taken the backseat. This mindset is also reflected in the neglect of socioeconomic indicators. Pakistan's army regards itself as the state, and it has this mindset has led to excessive defensive expenditure to the neglect of economic indicators. IANS: How do you see Operation Sindoor? Is it part of a larger strategic shift in India's security policy against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism? D.P. Srivastava: Operation Sindoor represents a strategic shift in India's security doctrine, as the Prime Minister has underlined. Pakistan has used the threat of escalation to the nuclear level in the case of India's conventional response to subconventional threats like terror attacks. This time, however, there was no statement from the Pakistani side about nuclear escalation during Operation Sindhoor. So Pakistan's bluff has been called, that it cannot escalate a local conflict or deter India from a military response to a terror attack, and this is a major shift in the paradigm. It also sends a message to the global community that India will exercise its right of self-defence, and we have the strength to do so. We did that in a very responsible manner. We avoided escalation. The escalation came mostly from the Pakistani side. India's initial strike was only against the terror camps. We avoided hitting any Pakistani, civil or military installation. It was Pakistan which attacked Indian Air Force bases, and that forced India to attack Pakistani military installations, and that brought Pakistan quickly to its knees. The Pakistani DGMO called his Indian counterpart, begging for a ceasefire. This message has also gone home and has been understood well by the international community. IANS: Prime Minister Modi has accepted an invitation by Canadian PM Mark Carney to the G7 Summit. Do you think this will help mend the strained India-Canada ties? D.P. Srivastava: The Prime Minister has accepted the invitation to go to the G7 summit. So the focus will be on global issues, not on bilateral relations. But, of course, when the leaders meet, they discuss the entire range of issues, and this will be a good opportunity to bring the bilateral relations back on an even keel. We had good relations with Canada, and I believe, there's a better understanding of the Indian position in the new government there, about the impact of terrorism. And, I think the new government is unlikely to use these incidents as an electoral card. So we hope that this visit will bring about a clearer understanding between the two countries.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Pakistan's Washington Outreach Against India Backfires: Public Humiliation, Zero Traction
Last Updated: Rebukes from US officials to being grilled over its human rights, Pakistan's latest diplomatic adventure opened a can of worms, leaving behind bigger mess than it set out to clean Pakistan's latest outreach to Washington, led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, was meant to counter India's global campaign to expose Islamabad's role in cross-border terrorism. But it backfired. What unfolded was a series of public embarrassments — from being scolded by US lawmakers, to being fact-checked by a journalist at the UN, and being completely ignored on key agenda items like the Indus Waters Treaty. After India announced a cross-party delegation to multiple countries to build consensus against Pakistani terrorism, Islamabad rushed to mount a smaller, reactive mission focused on the United States. The aim was to challenge India's narrative, whitewash Pakistan's use of terror as state policy, and project itself instead as a victim of terrorism. But the strategy was flawed. The facts were on India's side, not Pakistan's. What followed was a series of public relations disasters for Islamabad. Let's start with US Congressman Brad Sherman. Having met the Pakistani delegation, Islamabad expected support. Instead, Sherman publicly demanded on X (formerly Twitter) that Pakistan eliminate Jaish-e-Mohammed — the terror group responsible for the brutal 2002 murder of journalist Daniel Pearl, who was Sherman's own constituent. 'Pakistan should do all it can to eliminate this vile group and combat terrorism in the region," Sherman posted. This wasn't a private remark — it was a public rebuke. But Sherman didn't stop there. He raised the continued imprisonment of Dr Shakil Afridi — the physician who helped the US locate Osama Bin Laden. 'Freeing Dr Afridi represents an important step in bringing closure for victims of 9/11," he said. On water disputes, Sherman made an even more telling statement: 'China should not nick India's water, India should not nick Pakistan's water, and Pakistan's Punjab should not nick Sindh's water." That exposed the hypocrisy of Pakistan's position on water-sharing, not just regionally but domestically. Sherman then landed a final blow — highlighting Pakistan's persecution of minorities. 'Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadiyya Muslims living in Pakistan must be allowed to practice their faith and participate in the democratic system without fear of violence, persecution, discrimination, or an unequal justice system." For years, Pakistan has managed to escape serious scrutiny on such human rights violations. A direct and public critique from a senior U.S. lawmaker marks a sharp shift — and should serve as a warning. Sherman also spotlighted one of Pakistan's most suppressed issues: enforced disappearances in Sindh. 'For years, the people of Sindh have faced political repression through enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Since its founding in 2011, Pakistan's own Human Rights Commission has documented over 8,000 such cases, many of which have never been properly investigated," Sherman said. Talk about opening a can of worms. Islamabad had more to worry about than just diplomatic messaging — it now faced the international spotlight on its own governance failures. Meanwhile, the Pakistani delegation's attempt to raise the Indus Waters Treaty got no traction. Their plea to pressurize India over hydropower projects on the western rivers was met with silence. No statements. No pressers. Not even polite acknowledgement. The U.S. wasn't buying it — a clear signal that Washington no longer has time for Pakistan's grievance theatre. Then came another embarrassment. At a press conference at the United Nations, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attempted to portray India as anti-Muslim, only to be corrected by a journalist. 'Sir, I've watched briefings from both sides. Muslim military officers were conducting the briefing for India," the journalist pointed out. Caught off guard, Bhutto simply nodded and admitted, 'As far as the operations are concerned, you're absolutely right." Humbled in seconds — a symbolic moment in a trip that offered Islamabad little more than a diplomatic scolding. But true to form, Pakistan didn't retreat or reflect. Instead, it doubled down. In yet another blunder, Bilawal Bhutto defended Hafiz Abdur Rauf — the man seen leading funeral prayers after India's Operation Sindoor airstrikes targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Bhutto claimed Rauf merely shared a name with a designated terrorist. However, Pakistan's own military media wing, ISPR, released a CNIC that directly matched U.S. Treasury records, confirming Rauf's identity and his role in the Lashkar-e-Toiba-linked Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a party designated as a terror proxy by the U.S. in 2018. Few individuals, as per the US Treasury, are more integral to LeT's fundraising than Rauf. Yet Pakistan chose to defend him. Finally, in a bizarre twist, Bilawal Bhutto floated the idea of cooperation between India's RAW and Pakistan's ISI. 'I am completely confident that if ISI and RAW sat down to work together, we'd see a significant drop in terrorism on both sides," he said. A strange proposition, considering Pakistan's long record of harbouring terror outfits — 83 proscribed organisations at last count, with 45 still active. These include transnational networks like the Haqqani Network, ISKP, and al-Qaeda, alongside India-focused groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Most operate with the knowledge — if not direct support — of the Pakistani state and military. The only group that consistently targets Pakistan is the Tehreek-e-Taliban — a blowback of Islamabad's own strategic games. So far, Pakistan has used diplomatic platforms to either deny or deflect these truths. But it is becoming more and more difficult for the world to overlook Pakistan's brazen support of terror. Even the religion card is being declined. Trying to play the religion card, the Pakistani embassy even asked Malaysia to cancel all ten events scheduled by India's delegation. 'We are an Islamic country, you are an Islamic country," the embassy pleaded. Malaysia declined the request. All ten events went ahead as planned. Humiliation. Public embarrassment. Strategic disgrace. Operation Sindoor has left a giant crater in Pakistan's global image—a blemish no amount of denial, whitewashing or spin can conceal. It's karma in all its glory and it has been duly noted by the world. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 08, 2025, 18:38 IST News opinion Pakistan's Washington Outreach Against India Backfires: Public Humiliation, Zero Traction | Finepoint
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Op Sindoor feather in cap of Modi government? 100%, says Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday endorsed India's Operation Sindoor, saying it was a feather in the cap for the government and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a "global leader".In an exclusive interview with India Today TV's Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai, Naidu said PM Modi played a role in halting the military conflict between India and Pakistan, saying his wisdom per cent. This (Operation Sindoor) is a feather in the cap of the Modi government. No other leader can do this so perfectly without precision. The Pahalgam terror attack was unfortunate and husbands were killed in front of their wives," he said. He said PM Modi named India's military operation as Sindoor to fulfill the sentiments of the Indian women and take revenge against terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack, which killed 25 tourists and a local."Within 20 minutes, we destroyed terror pockets and did not attack civilians and defence installations. The conflict ended at the right time. PM Modi ended the fighting. Is it not our credit? His wisdom prevailed. If the war is prolonged, then we will lose," Naidu Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, India destroyed terror camps at nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), killing over 100 terrorists. Pakistan then escalated the situation, by firing a barrage of drones and missiles towards border cities and defence installations in India. However, India hit back and launched a counter-offensive, damaging several Pakistani military bases, before both countries agreed to stop about Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's claim whether India succumbed to the US's pressure, Naidu said there "was no need to surrender to anybody"."We have our own strategies. Who will control Trump? He will talk as he likes. But at the same time, the wisdom of PM Modi prevailed. We are very clear. We won't quarrel unnecessarily. If anybody comes after us, we won't leave them. We are capable of protecting our nation," he Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said while India wants friendly relations with all countries, there was "no need to have any recommendation or support from anywhere"."PM Modi is emerging as a tall leader globally. That is the pride of our nation," he said.
