KARACHI: Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, stated that he is not afraid to present Pakistan’s stance directly to the Indian public through Indian media.
He emphasized that the modern world is well-informed and scrutinizes every issue closely. Referring to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), he said it is a rigorous process, and Pakistan has successfully gone through it.
Regarding the Pahalgam incident, Bilawal termed it a terrorist attack and expressed sympathy for the victims, adding that he too has been a victim of terrorism.
However, he stressed that no credible evidence has emerged linking Pakistan to the attack, and claimed that the Indian public was misled.
Bilawal pointed out that Pakistan has suffered from terrorism for decades, and this year has been among the worst in terms of terrorist activity. He mentioned that the country is facing attacks from various groups including the BLA and TTP.
Pakistani security forces are actively conducting operations against these militants, and the FATF and international community have acknowledged and praised Pakistan’s efforts.
He also highlighted that Pakistan had offered to join the investigation into the Pahalgam incident immediately, reiterating that the country has nothing to hide.
“Who were those attackers, and why doesn’t anyone know them?” he questioned, adding that in this era of satellites and advanced technology, such questions remain unanswered due to deliberate obfuscation by the Indian government.
Bilawal criticized the manipulation of public opinion through media and remarked that the term “terrorist” only came into regular use after 9/11; before that, such individuals were labeled “freedom fighters.”
He stressed that Pakistan is not ignoring its past or running from it.
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He linked the 9/11 attacks to the fallout of the Afghan war and noted that once action was taken against groups like Al-Qaeda, the entire region became a target of terrorism. Despite this, Pakistan’s recent counter-terrorism efforts have been significant—yet, he argued, India continues to dismiss them.
