ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari firmly dismissed India’s accusations that Pakistan supports terrorist groups conducting attacks beyond its borders.
“Pakistan neither allows nor endorses any group to carry out terrorist activities, whether inside or outside our country,” he told Indian journalist Karan Thapar in an interview for The Wire.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s heavy toll in the fight against terrorism, Bilawal highlighted the nation’s sacrifices. “Pakistan has endured a brutal war against terrorism, losing 92,000 lives, including over 1,200 civilians in more than 200 attacks last year alone,” he added.
He warned, “If this trend continues, 2025 could be the bloodiest year in our history.”
Drawing from personal tragedy, Bilawal – whose mother and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated – expressed empathy for victims of terrorism, saying, “As a victim myself, I deeply understand the pain of those affected by attacks like the one in Pahalgam.”
He outlined Pakistan’s relentless efforts to combat terrorism, including military operations in South Waziristan during his father’s presidency and in North Waziristan under subsequent governments. Bilawal also pointed to Pakistan’s compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), noting, “We underwent a rigorous FATF process with strict monitoring, proving our commitment to dismantling terrorist networks."
Rejecting India’s claims about the April Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Bilawal noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered to join an impartial international inquiry, an offer India declined.
“Our hands are clean,” he asserted, criticising India for withholding evidence.
The interview comes in the context of recent military clashes in May, sparked by the Pahalgam attack, which escalated into a four-day conflict involving missiles, drones, and artillery—the worst in decades.
Pakistan’s retaliatory “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos” targeted Indian military sites before a US-brokered ceasefire, credited to President Donald Trump, ended the hostilities.
While Pakistan praised Trump’s mediation and nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, India disputed his role, claiming the ceasefire was not due to US intervention.
Bilawal also highlighted his leadership of a parliamentary delegation to global capitals to counter Indian propaganda post-conflict, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to peace and truth.