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- Bhutto-Zardari calls Modi a 鈥榩oor copy鈥� of Netanyahu who thinks he can justify attacks on Muslim states by invoking 鈥榯errorism鈥�
- He says India, Pakistan are heirs to the Indus Valley Civilization, which was not known for weapons but for urban advancement
ISLAMABAD: The head of Pakistan鈥檚 parliamentary delegation constituted to visit key world capitals and present Islamabad鈥檚 stance on last month鈥檚 military standoff with India said on Tuesday New Delhi was emulating Israel鈥檚 belligerence in the region, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to be guided by 鈥渢he worst examples possible.鈥�
The remarks were made by former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari during a media interaction at the United Nations Correspondents Association.
The Pakistani delegation arrived in New York on Monday as part of Islamabad鈥檚 diplomatic outreach amid heightened tensions with India, despite a recent ceasefire. It has held a series of meetings with top international diplomats, urging the global community to help the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors enter a comprehensive dialogue to peacefully resolve their differences.
Responding to a question during the news conference, Bhutto-Zardari drew parallels between the Israeli settler program in the West Bank and India鈥檚 post-2019 demographic changes in Kashmir, describing Modi as a 鈥減oor copy鈥� of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
鈥淎s far as India being inspired by the Israeli government, unfortunately, it鈥檚 being inspired in all the wrong ways,鈥� he said. 鈥淚ts conduct outside of international law, its violation of international governance, the United Nations Charter, the arrogance with which it thought it could get away with this 鈥� that you can just scream terrorism and it justifies that you can attack any Muslim country at whim.鈥�
鈥淚n short, it鈥檚 based on this building of precedents that we鈥檝e seen over time 鈥� be it in the context of the Iraq War, and obviously the actions within Gaza recently have inspired some of the actions by the Indian government,鈥� he added. 鈥淏ut Mr. Modi is sort of the Temu version of Netanyahu 鈥� sort of a poor copy 鈥� and we call upon the Indian government to not be inspired by the worst examples possible.鈥�
Bhutto-Zardari, who chairs the Pakistan Peoples Party, called on both India and Pakistan to reclaim their shared heritage as heirs of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and reflect that in their conduct.
鈥淥ne of the most incredible things about the Indus Valley Civilization is that with all the archaeology that鈥檚 gone on, we鈥檝e not found a single weapon at all,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey had great advancements 鈥� urban planning, agriculture, water distribution, even sewage systems 鈥� but not a single weapon.鈥�
鈥淗ow far we鈥檝e come from our roots,鈥� he continued. 鈥淭hat grand Indus Valley Civilization, which didn鈥檛 have a single weapon, is now armed to the teeth.鈥�
The former Pakistani foreign minister said Modi could either pursue peace and become a true heir of the Indus Valley Civilization or continue down a path of conflict.
鈥淢r. Modi started off as being perceived as the Butcher of Gujarat,鈥� he said, referring to the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in the Indian state where Modi was chief minister. 鈥淗e went on to become the Butcher of Kashmir, and he aspires to be the Butcher of the Indus Valley Civilization with his assault on the Indus Waters Treaty.鈥�
The Pakistani delegation also met with United Nations Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres at UN Headquarters on Tuesday.
Bhutto-Zardari delivered a letter from Pakistan鈥檚 prime minister and briefed the UN chief on Islamabad鈥檚 position in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on tourists, which New Delhi had blamed on Pakistan.
He rejected India鈥檚 allegations against Islamabad as 鈥渂aseless and premature,鈥� and criticized its unilateral military actions, civilian casualties and the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty 鈥� calling these actions a dangerous escalation with potentially destabilizing consequences for the region.
Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan remained committed to international law and the principles of the UN Charter, while warning against what he called India鈥檚 attempt to establish a 鈥渄angerous new normal鈥� marked by unilateralism and the use of force in a nuclear environment.
According to an official readout, Secretary-General Guterres assured the delegation the UN would fully engage in promoting peace and stability in South Asia and continue to support all efforts to reduce tensions and resolve disputes.