Bilawal Bhutto Admits UN Hurdles On Kashmir As Pakistan, India Launch Parallel Diplomacy In US

Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan and Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has openly admitted that Islamabad's attempts to highlight the Kashmir issue on international platforms, especially at the United Nations, have consistently encountered obstacles.

Addressing a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Bhutto Zardari stated, "As far as the hurdles we face within the UN and in general, as far as the Kashmir cause is concerned, that still exists."

Photo Credit: PTI

Currently leading a parliamentary delegation to the United States, Bilawal is part of a government-led initiative aimed at promoting Islamabad's perspective on escalating regional tensions, including the repercussions of Operation Sindoor - India's military campaign following the Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in 26 fatalities.

During his meetings with UN officials and diplomats, Bhutto Zardari noted that there was "receptiveness" to discussions on topics such as water disputes and terrorism.

Reflective Strategy

The makeup of the Pakistani delegation appears to closely emulate India's recent diplomatic campaign, which involves an all-party parliamentary team travelling globally to advocate for New Delhi's stance after the Pahalgam massacre.

Islamabad's move is widely viewed as an effort to counter India's narrative, particularly in Western capitals of influence.

Since their arrival in New York on Monday, Bhutto Zardari and his team have held discussions with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, General Assembly President Philemon Yang, and Security Council President Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.

They have also engaged with the permanent representatives of the United States, China, Russia, and France - the other permanent Security Council members - along with representatives from non-permanent member nations.

On Wednesday, the Pakistani delegation is scheduled to visit Washington, DC, coinciding with the Indian delegation's presence in the same city, led by senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

Final Stage of Indian Delegation's Tour

The Indian all-party delegation, headed by Tharoor, arrived in Washington on Tuesday following visits to Belgium and four Latin American countries. India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, welcomed the team on their arrival.

The group includes MPs from various political parties, such as Sarfaraz Ahmad, Ganti Harish Madhur, Shashank Mani Tripathi, Bhubaneswar Kalita, Tejasvi Surya, and former Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Their mission is to strengthen India's diplomatic message, advocating "zero tolerance for terrorism" and a firm defence of its territorial integrity.

"In Washington, we'll have the interesting phenomenon of the Pakistani delegation in America at almost exactly the same time. There's going to be perhaps an increase in interest because there are two duelling delegations in the same city," Tharoor remarked to ANI before departing from Brussels.