• Proposes joint platform to raise complaints, probe terror incidents
• Delegation meets UN chief, UNSC president

WASHINGTON: Coope­ration between Pakistan and India’s intelligence agencies could significantly reduce terrorism in South Asia, former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Tuesday.

The PPP chairman, who is currently leading a high-powered delegation as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic push to highlight India’s “unilateral aggression”, was speaking at a press conference at UN Headquarters.

“I am completely confident that if ISI and RAW were ready to sit down and work together to fight these forces, we would see a significant decrease in terrorism in both India and Pakistan,” he said.

He also urged the global community to remain engaged in South Asia, warning that the risk of conflict between nuclear-armed neighbours had grown, not diminished, after the recent ceasefire.

“With the intervention of the international community — and I would like to mention particularly the role played by the US President Donald Trump and his team led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio — we did manage to achieve a ceasefire between India and Pakistan,” said Mr Bhutto-Zardari. “This is a welcome first step, but it’s only a first step.”

Mr Bhutto-Zardari emphasised that diplomacy and dialogue were the only “viable path to peace,” and reiterated Islamabad’s willingness to engage in a broad dialogue with New Delhi — including cooperation on counterterrorism.

“Pakistan would still like to cooperate with India to combat terrorism. We can’t leave the fate of 1.5 billion, 1.7 billion people in the hands of non-state actors and terrorists,” he said. “For them to decide, at a whim, that (when these) two nuclear-armed powers will go to war.”

He also criticised India’s effort to set a dangerous precedent by linking any terrorist attack in the region to the threat of war with Pakistan. “That’s untenable,” he said. “You can’t have no dispute resolution mechanisms between two nuclear-armed countries.”

He proposed the establishment of a mutually agreed platform where both sides could raise complaints, investigate terrorist incidents jointly, and work together to ensure accountability.

He also expressed alarm over India’s attempt to “weaponise water,” calling it a dangerous escalation.

“The mere threat to cut off the water supply of 200 million people is a violation of the UN Charter. Acting on this threat will be seen as an act of war by Pakistan,” he warned.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari compared India’s actions with Israel, saying: “India is being inspired by the Israeli government in all the wrong ways. Modi is the butcher of Kashmir and aspires to be the butcher of the Indus Valley civilisation.”

He warned that India’s actions threaten not only regional stability but also “undermine international treaties with global implications”.

UN meetings

Earlier, the Pakistani delegation met with UN Secretary-General Ant­ónio Guterres and the President of the UN Security Council, Amba­ssador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana, in New York.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2025