Ceasefire but no peace: Bilawal warns of ‘less safe' South Asia despite Trump-led de-escalation

Express Tribune

9 hours ago

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan and current head of the Pakistan People's Party, leads a delegation to Washington, which played a key mediatory role in a ceasefire after Pakistan's conflict with India in May. Photo: AFP
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has warned that South Asia remains at risk of a full-scale war despite a US-brokered ceasefire between India and Pakistan, calling for sustained diplomatic efforts and international engagement to avoid further escalation.
Speaking to US news network Newsmax, Bilawal said a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbours had been achieved in May with the help of former US president Donald Trump and his team, but cautioned that peace remained fragile.
'At the moment we have achieved ceasefire between India and Pakistan, thanks to the role played by President Trump, his team, Secretary Rubio, and that's a big achievement. The US deserves credit for that,' he said. 'But... we have achieved ceasefire, we haven't achieved peace and we are actually in a situation in South Asia right now where we [are] less safe than we were before this conflict.'
Bilawal, who also chairs Pakistan's Parliamentary Diplomatic Committee, warned that the threshold for war between the two rivals had dangerously decreased, particularly in the event of a cross-border terrorist attack.
'If there [is] any terrorist attack in India or anywhere in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), it means war between India and Pakistan and that's not sustainable,' he said.
Tensions between the two countries escalated last month following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, IIOJK, in which 26 Indian tourists were killed. On May 7, India launched airstrikes on Pakistani soil, prompting Islamabad to respond with Operation Bunyanum Marsoos. A US-brokered ceasefire was reached on May 10, halting further military action.
Bilawal said Pakistan's agreement to the ceasefire had come after consultations with Washington and should be seen as the beginning of a broader peace process.
'We did so while communicating with the United States and we will communicate that this would just be the start,' he said, calling for dialogue at a neutral venue.'We work towards permanent peace through dialogue and diplomacy... we should discuss all friction points with India.'
While expressing confidence in the current US leadership's willingness to support regional stability, Bilawal also voiced concern that the Indian government could sabotage mediation efforts.
'I also suspect that Indian government will try and sabotage the President's efforts,' he said. 'Just like President Trump played a role in achieving this ceasefire, we will be looking to the US to encourage their friend and ally India to have a dialogue with Pakistan.'
Praising Trump's influence, Bilawal said the former president had the trust of both countries and could help bring them back to the negotiating table.
'I think President Trump is the one man at the moment who can bring about peace between India and Pakistan,' he said. 'I think his stature, his leadership qualities and his vision supports peace... he is friends with Pakistan, he is friends with India so he can talk to both of us as friends and try and convince [us] to get along.'
He reiterated that Kashmir remained a core issue in any future dialogue.
'We have to discuss Kashmir as a root issue... because if [we] keep ignoring Kashmir, they will keep producing the cannon forger for terrorists to use in such events.'
He said Pakistan was willing to engage on counterterrorism and recalled previous US-Pakistan cooperation in that domain.
'We had done a great job while working with them. The one country that US President thank[ed]... after he was elected President was Pakistan for our cooperation.'
Bilawal also accused India of 'weaponising water' by threatening to cut off water supplies to Pakistan — an action he said violated international norms.
'We are really looking to the international community to add their voice to ours in condemning India's decision to cut off our water,' he said.
On trade, Bilawal said talks with US officials had shifted from traditional security concerns to economic cooperation.
'We are actually sitting with Americans talking about trade rather than terrorism, war and other things,' he said, noting particular interest in agriculture and mineral investment.
However, he cautioned that peace was a prerequisite for foreign investment.
'If we have peace in the region then business is gonna progress,' he said. 'If the aggression [is] gonna continue, if they [are] gonna continue [to] support terrorist proxies in Balochistan... then it's not gonna create an environment that's conducive even if our trade talks go well,' he added.