Bilawal warns India's ‘new normal' of hostility risks backfiring
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'The politicisation of water through violations of the Indus Waters Treaty is a form of hybrid warfare,' said Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday. 'If this continues, future generations will be at war over water.'
Speaking to the media, he warned that India's assertion of a 'new normal' in cross-border conflicts risks damaging regional peace and stability, especially between two nuclear-armed neighbours.
He chided Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks regarding Operation Sindoor setting a new standard. Bilawal noted that Pakistan acted with restraint and had only exercised its right to self-defence. 'The international community acknowledged our responsible behaviour.'.
The comments come days after Pakistan and India agreed to a ceasefire following intense drone and missile exchanges.
'India's new normal of aggression is not sustainable and is certainly not in its interest,' Bilawal told state media. 'This approach, rooted in hate and division, only escalates tensions.'
وزیراعظم کی ہدایت کے مطابق سفارتی کمیٹی کا مخلتف ملکوں کا دورہ کرنے سے قبل دفترخارجہ کی جانب سے خطے میں موجودہ صورتحال پر تفصیلی بریفنگ دی گئی۔ بھارت اور پاکستان دونوں ایٹمی طاقت رکھتے ہیں اور جب ایسے دو ممالک کے درمیان جنگ چھیڑی جاتی ہے تو اس کے اثرات صرف پاکستان اور بھارت تک… pic.twitter.com/Ar1hoiwun0 — PPP (@MediaCellPPP) May 21, 2025
Bilawal will lead a high-level delegation assigned by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit global capitals, aiming to brief foreign governments, media, and parliaments on Pakistan's stance and India's recent actions.
He said durable peace in South Asia remains impossible without resolving key issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, cross-border terrorism, and India's alleged weaponisation of water resources.
Accompanying Bilawal, Climate Minister Musadik Malik accused India of targeting civilians and building a false narrative of dominance. 'Their Rafale jets fell like birds,' he claimed, referring to Indian military losses.
Former foreign minister Khurram Dastgir, also part of the delegation, said India's posture reflects an anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan agenda. 'This is not the conduct of a responsible state,' he added.
The outreach campaign is expected to visit multiple countries over the coming weeks to explain Pakistan's diplomatic position following the recent military escalation.
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