• Source:JND
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In a warning to US lawmakers and diplomats, Pakistan People's Party chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has claimed that the risk of a full-scale war between India and Pakistan has reached unprecedented levels. Speaking in an interview with the New York Post, Bilawal stated that the “threshold” for war has been drastically lowered following the recent military standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

“We’re all a lot less safe as a result of this conflict than we were before,” he said. “The threshold of full-out military conflict between India and Pakistan has been drastically lowered, the lowest it has ever been in our history, as a result of this conflict.”

Bhutto Zardari is currently leading a nine-member Pakistani delegation to Western capitals, seeking to present Islamabad’s position on the recent escalation. The tensions peaked after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 people were killed by gunmen. In response, India launched a strong military operation, dubbed Operation Sindoor, prompting fears of a wider regional conflict.

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Indus Waters Treaty A Possible Flashpoint, Warns Bhutto

Addressing a gathering at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, Bhutto Zardari also warned that the Indus Waters Treaty, a vital agreement on the sharing of river waters between India and Pakistan, could become a flashpoint. “If our rightful share of waters is denied, Pakistan will be forced to defend its interests, even if it means going to war,” he said.

The Pakistani delegation, which includes four women, aims to counter India's diplomatic outreach and highlight Pakistan's perspective on the rising tensions. Bhutto Zardari emphasised the importance of international mediation in preventing further escalation.

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Calls For Continued US Involvement In Peace Process

“We’re incredibly grateful for the role that the US government, President Trump, Secretary [of State] Marco Rubio, created throughout this crisis in helping us all achieve this cease-fire,” he told the New York Post. “But our message has been that the cease-fire is a start, but it is only a start, and what we seek is assistance in our pursuit of peace through dialogue and diplomacy.”