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Rattled with Indus Waters Treaty suspension, Pakistan delegation talks 'peace' in US: ‘Endangers livelihood'
Islamabad sought the resolution of all issues, including the Indus Waters Treaty, through dialogue.
Days after India sent across its stern message against terrorism peddled by Islamabad, Pakistan has sent its delegation to the United Kingdom. The visit follows the Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led delegation's diplomatic engagements in New York over the recent military conflict with India.
The nine-strong group held talks with the United Nations on Sunday, along with the diplomats from member states and senior US officials, to present Pakistan's narrative on the conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
India has punished Pakistan for the terror attack as it put in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty. It later attacked and demolished nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor. Pakistan's armed forces later triggered an armed conflict with India by targeting the latter's civilian areas and military installations.
The conflict came to an end after four days, with India attacking Pakistan's strategic air bases and the latter's DGMO urging peace from his Indian counterpart.
Former Pakistani foreign secretary, Jalil Abbas Jilani, a member of the delegation, was quoted as saying by PTI, citing Express Tribune, that Pakistan's message was peace.
"Our message was clear – Pakistan seeks peace," he said.
Jilani said Islamabad sought the resolution of all issues, including the Indus Waters Treaty, through dialogue.
India has maintained that the only dialogue it can hold with Pakistan would be on the topics of terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
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Speaking to the media, lawmaker Khurram Dastgir highlighted the regional impact of the water dispute and called for the restoration of the treaty.
"We explained to US officials that India’s suspension of the treaty endangers the livelihood of 240 million people and undermines the region’s stability,” he said.
Dastgir stressed the water dispute was a matter of survival for Pakistan, asserting the country would not compromise on it.
He claimed the Americans initially assumed the ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump required no further involvement. "Our mission was to make them understand that intervention is necessary as India wants neither a neutral inquiry nor talks," Dastgir said.
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India has rejected Trump's claim that the US brokered the peace.
Senator Sherry Rehman, another member of the group, said the mission was focused on advocating for peace and ensuring the water treaty.
Several Indians delegations visited a host of countries across the world to apprise them about Pakistan's nefarious support to cross-border terrorism.
With inputs from PTI
