NEW YORK: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (BBZ) led 9-member Pakistani delegation has arrived in New York to meet top United Nations officials and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) members.
The delegation is part of the move made by Pakistan to present its perspective on its recent military standoff with arch-rival India, reports said.
Constituted by the Pakistani prime minister last month, the delegation received a briefing from the foreign office on Pakistan’s military standoff with India last month.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former foreign minister and chairperson of PPP, said his team also received a briefing from the foreign office on contentious issues like the Kashmir dispute, “terrorism,” and India’s unilateral move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.
Pakistan and India last month engaged in the most serious fighting between them since 1999. Both pounded each other with missiles, drone strikes and artillery fire in four days of conflict before US President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire on May 10. Tensions had soared after India blamed Pakistan for being involved in an April 22 attack on a tourist resort in the part of Kashmir administered by India. Islamabad denied involvement.
The Pakistan Parliamentary delegation will hold metings with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the UN General Assembly, as well as the Ambassadors of Permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security-Council,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
During the visit, the BBZ led delegation will present Pakistan’s perspective on the recent military clash with India and to counter New Delhi’s disinformation campaign.
Besides the meetings, the delegation will also brief members of the OIC at the UN. Bhutto Zardari, along with other members of the delegation, will also interact with media representatives during his visit to New York.
The development takes place as India presents its point of view to the world on its recent conflict with Pakistan. The Indian government has appointed Congress party lawmaker and author Shashi Tharoor as the head of a delegation in its attempts to convince world capitals that Pakistan supports cross-border “terrorism” and to justify New Delhi’s attacks against its neighboring country last month.
Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought two out of three wars over the disputed Kashmir of Kashmir since 1947. Both govern the territory in parts but claim its ownership in full.
While the ceasefire between the two countries has continued to hold since last month, tensions persist as India vows to hold in abeyance the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan has said any attempts to divert or stop its flow of water would be considered an “act of war.”
Read more: Bilawal Led Pak Team To Meet World Leaders From June 2-3 In Wake Of India Standoff
