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- The Pakistani delegation in London says Islamabad wants 鈥榗omposite dialogue鈥� with New Delhi on all issues
- It says Pakistan鈥檚 military response to the Indian actions was measured and consistent with international law
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani parliamentary delegation visiting key global capitals in the wake of last month鈥檚 military standoff with India told British lawmakers Islamabad remains committed to ensuring the revival of the Indus Waters Treaty and promoting regional peace, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.
The outreach comes after India and Pakistan engaged in their most intense military exchange in years, sparking fears of a full-scale war under a nuclear overhang. Over four days in May, both sides exchanged missile strikes, launched drone attacks and engaged in air combat before a US-brokered ceasefire was announced by President Donald Trump on May 10.
The crisis was triggered by a militant attack that killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. New Delhi blamed the assault on Pakistan-based elements, an allegation Islamabad denied, instead calling for an independent international probe. As tensions escalated, the global community moved swiftly to defuse the situation.
Before launching its military strikes, India took several punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspending a decades-old, World Bank-backed water-sharing treaty between the two countries.
鈥淭he High-Level Parliamentary delegation from Pakistan, led by the Chairman of Pakistan People鈥檚 Party and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, briefed the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pakistan during a meeting hosted by APPG Chair Yasmin Qureshi MP at Westminster Palace, which was attended by cross-party British parliamentarians,鈥� the statement said.
鈥淭he delegation underscored Pakistan鈥檚 commitment to restraint, revival of the Indus Waters Treaty and initiation of a composite dialogue between the two countries on all outstanding issues, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.鈥�
According to the statement, Bhutto-Zardari briefed lawmakers on the consequences of what he described as India鈥檚 unprovoked aggression, including violations of Pakistan鈥檚 sovereignty in the aftermath of the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
He rejected India鈥檚 allegations against Pakistan as baseless, saying they lacked credible investigation or verifiable evidence.
He further warned India鈥檚 unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty violated international law and could have serious implications for regional and global peace.
Pakistan鈥檚 Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik also addressed the session, highlighting the environmental and food security risks of disrupting the treaty.
He warned the suspension threatened the survival of Pakistan鈥檚 240 million people, most of whom rely on agriculture.
The delegation also emphasized Pakistan鈥檚 military response to the Indian actions was measured and consistent with international law, including the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.