The president of the Pakistani peoples party and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, said on Thursday that Pakistan was ready to continue peace with India, but insisted that any significant commitment had to start with New Delhi honoring the past agreements, in particular the industrial water Treaty.
Speaking at the Middle East Institute in Washington, Mr. Bhutto-Zardari said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a delegation with a clear mission: to seek peace by dialogue and diplomacy with India. “You could ask yourself why we are here in Washington and not speak to our opponent … They refuse to speak,” he said, stressing the persistent reluctance of India to get involved.
The president of the PPP stressed that, although Pakistan is open to new arrangements, agreements and even treated with India, progress can only be made if India honors its existing commitments. “If our dialogue and our diplomacy in pursuit of peace succeed … then they must certainly comply first by the former treaties and resume their decision, namely the industrial water Treaty,” he said.
He criticized the attitude of the Indian government towards dialogue and cooperation, noting that it had refused Pakistan calls to joint investigations on acts of terrorism, rejected the offer of former American president Donald Trump of media and continues to repel the openings of Pakistan.
“India refused with Belliquette. They refused cooperation on terrorism – you saw it. The Prime Minister of Pakistan said that we have an investigation, they said no. They refuse mediation, they refuse dialogue,” said PPP president.
He warned that such a refusal to engage in diplomacy would only degenerate tensions. “All this means that there will be more terrorism, there will be more war, and there will be no peace.”
He added that if the Indian government could be willing to condemn its people to a perpetual state of conflict, Pakistan would not follow. “I refuse to damn my people and I refuse to damn the people of India to this fate.”
Bilawal said that this is why the Pakistani delegation would continue to travel “from the capital to capital” with a simple and urgent message: “We want peace, and we need your help.”
