Washington D.C., June 5, 2025: Former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for dialogue, restraint, and a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to ensure lasting peace in South Asia.
During a series of meetings with members of the U.S. Congress in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, Bilawal apprised lawmakers of the deteriorating regional situation following recent acts of Indian aggression, including civilian casualties and India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — a move Pakistan deems a grave violation of international law.
Bilawal expressed appreciation for the United States, particularly President Donald Trump, for his constructive role in helping de-escalate recent hostilities and facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India.
The Pakistani delegation reiterated the country’s principled stance on regional peace, counterterrorism cooperation, and its rejection of baseless Indian allegations. They emphasized the urgency of dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir — an unresolved issue on the United Nations Security Council’s agenda — and called for adherence to international law, UNSC resolutions, and the preservation of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Members of Congress welcomed the delegation’s efforts, encouraging both nuclear-armed neighbors to exercise restraint and prioritize regional peace. They reaffirmed U.S. support for the people of Pakistan and its commitment to the country’s economic stability and development.
The delegation includes senior political and diplomatic figures: former ministers Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir, Senators Sherry Rehman, Musadik Malik, Faisal Sabzwari, and Bushra Anjum Butt, along with seasoned diplomats Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua.
In a message posted Thursday on X (formerly Twitter), Bilawal said he had a “constructive exchange with Senator Chris Van Hollen on Pakistan’s deep concerns over India’s increasingly belligerent posture and its refusal to engage — whether through dialogue, joint investigation, or third-party facilitation.”
He also met with Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, and Senator Jim Banks. In a separate post, he lauded President Trump’s “critical peacemaker role in facilitating the ceasefire understanding, intended as a pathway to broader, sustained peace and dialogue.”
A day earlier, the Pakistani delegation held a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN Headquarters in New York, urging urgent international action to prevent further escalation in the region.
The Bilawal-led delegation has been on a U.S. visit since June 1 to brief American leadership, UN officials, think tanks, and the Pakistani diaspora on the evolving regional crisis following the recent military confrontation between Pakistan and India.
