New Delhi: Amid mounting tensions with India, Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday said that Pakistan was open to peace with India. Interestingly, a few days ago, he had threatened bloodshed over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
However, taking a U-turn from his earlier remark, on Tuesday, he stated, “If India wishes to walk the path of peace, let them come with open hands and not clenched fists. Let them come with facts and not fabrication. Let us sit as neighbours and speak the truth.” Bilawal said this during an address at Pakistan’s National Assembly.
According to a report in Dawn, Bilawal added: “If they do not … then let them remember that the people of Pakistan are not made to kneel. The people of Pakistan have a resolve to fight, not because we love conflict, but because we love freedom.”
On April 25, he had commented that Pakistanis would remain united and respond collectively to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged “aggression” on the Indus River.
There has been an escalation of tensions between the two neighbouring countries after the Pahalgam attack on April 22, which left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead and several others injured. On April 23, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, closed down the only operation land border crossing at Attari and downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan.
Bilawal Bhutto’s X account suspended
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s X account was suspended by the social media platform after the Pakistani leader remarked that blood would flow in the Indus River if India blocked the waters.
Bilawal had said: “I would like to stand here in Sukkur by the Indus and tell India that the Indus is ours and the Indus will remain ours, whether water flows in this Indus or their blood.”
