Two teams to present Pakistan’s perspective to world on recent Indian aggression: FO

Two government delegations are set to hold a series of meetings with major world capitals to present Pakistan’s perspective to the global community on the recent spike in tensions with India, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday.

A high-level team — consisting of three former foreign ministers, two former foreign sec­­retaries, two former ambassadors to the US, and a serving federal minister — arrived in New York yesterday for consultations at the United Nations, the FO said in a statement today.

The delegation will also visit Washington DC, London and Brussels, the FO said.

Ex-FMs PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir; Senators Sherry Rehman, Musadik Malik, Faisal Sabzwari and Bushra Anjum Butt; and Jalil Abbas Jilani and Teh­mina Janjua are members of the first delegation.

The group is scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General António Gute­rres, the president of the UN General Assembly, and ambassadors of all five permanent members of the Security Council. It will also address a joint session of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation envoys.

The delegation will kick off its engagements on June 3, with planned meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, senior administration officials, lawmakers, think-tank analysts, and leading media organisations.

Another delegation, led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, will visit Moscow from June 2 to June 4, according to the FO.

During the visit, Fatemi is scheduled to hold meetings with senior Russian officials and also engage with the media and think tanks.

“The visits of these delegations are aimed at projecting Pakistan’s perspective on the recent Indian aggression,” the FO statement read.

“The delegations will highlight Pakistan’s responsible and restrained conduct — seeking peace with responsibility — in the face of India’s reckless and belligerent actions in violation of international law.”

The delegations will also highlight that “dialogue and diplomacy should take precedence over conflict and confrontation”.

The statement read that the delegations will underscore the importance of the international community to play its due role in promoting a lasting peace in the region, including the immediate resumption of the normal functioning of the Indus Waters Treaty.

“The delegations will engage in a series of meetings with the leadership of international bodies, public office holders, senior officials, parliamentarians, think tanks, media and diaspora,” the FO said.

‘Strategic importance and not mere photo opportunities’
Separately, Senator Sherry Rehman said that the delegation led by the PPP chairman has already begun its US visit with a “packed schedule of high-level multilateral meetings in New York”.

In a statement, Rehman emphasised that the meetings will have strategic importance and not be “mere photo opportunities”.

She added that the country’s status as “a responsible and stable middle power” is being highlighted during the engagements, and that the country had a clear interest in “regional peace and security”.

“Adherence to international laws is part of Pakistan’s foreign policy,” Rehman said, adding that the “fabricated” Indian narrative against the country “will not be allowed to take the form of truth this time”.

“India has started using false terrorism allegations as justification for war. This trend cannot be allowed to become the norm,” she said, adding that the country would not be part of any Indian “film script”.

The PPP leader said, “Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has successfully presented Pakistan’s solid position on water, Kashmir and violations of international laws of war and peace.

“Pakistan, as a responsible nuclear state, believes in a broad and fair dialogue based on peace,” she added.