Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto is currently visiting Washington, where he met with US congressional leaders to gain support for Pakistan’s diplomatic initiative aimed at reducing tensions with India amid what he described as the Modi government’s growing war hysteria.
Leading a senior parliamentary delegation, Bilawal held multiple meetings on Capitol Hill with members of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee and other key lawmakers. The discussions focused on the Kashmir dispute, recent military escalations, and broader Pakistan-US relations.
As hostilities between Pakistan and India persist, the former foreign minister warned of the rising threat of full-scale conflict. He criticized India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a clear violation of international law and a possible trigger for war between nuclear-armed nations.
Addressing India’s actions, Bilawal said that the use of water as a weapon could endanger the lives of 240 million people. “If India follows through, it would be seen as a declaration of war,” he warned. He acknowledged the role the United States played in brokering past ceasefires, but emphasized that the current peace remains fragile.
Bilawal added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had entrusted the delegation with a mission of promoting peace and dialogue. “Stability in South Asia affects the entire international community,” he said, urging Washington to support efforts to resume dialogue and resolve the Kashmir issue.
US Lawmakers Who Met the Pakistani Delegation:
- Congressman Jack Bergman
- Congressman Tom Suozzi
- Congressman Ryan Zinke
- Congresswoman Maxine Waters
- Congressman Al Green
- Congressman Jonathan Jackson
- Congressman Hank Johnson
- Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett
- Congressman Brian Mast
- Congressman Brad Sherman
- Congressman Gregory Meeks
- Congressman Henry Cuellar
- Senator Tom Cotton
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, wrapped up the engagements by expressing gratitude to American lawmakers for their time and interest in promoting South Asian peace.
Other Pakistani leaders accused New Delhi of deliberately maintaining a state of tension and criticized its refusal to accept third-party mediation. Senator Sherry Rehman warned, “A nuclear conflict in this densely populated region would be catastrophic.” She further stated, “Without a serious negotiation framework, we risk turning this trailer into a global tragedy.”
She called for a multilateral approach to resolving the Kashmir issue and urged the United States to remain actively engaged in efforts to prevent further escalation.