Pakistan’s sacrifice in war on terror demands global recognition, says Bilawal Bhutto
Liaquat Ali
Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has emphasized that Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign must be met with international partnership, recognition, and equitable support.
“Pakistan’s decades-long battle against terrorism has been a fight not just for national security but for the safety of the world at large,” said Chairman Bilawal, while addressing at the inaugural session of the International Conference
In a broader message to the international community, Bilawal invited global partners to learn from Pakistan’s hard-earned experience. “Let partnership replace perception,” he said. “Our data, our security expertise, and our resilience are unmatched resources.”
Bilawal highlighted Pakistan’s enormous sacrifices in the war against terror. “Over the past two and a half decades, Pakistan has lost 92,000 lives—both civilians and soldiers—and suffered more than $150 billion in economic losses,” he said. “These are not just statistics; they are vacant chairs at breakfast tables.”
Bilawal called for the world to acknowledge Pakistan’s frontline role in combating terror networks such as al-Qaeda, ISIS (Daesh), and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), noting major military operations like Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad that dismantled insurgent sanctuaries and neutralized threats in urban and tribal regions.
He urged the international community to move beyond symbolic support. “We ask for structured investment in counterterrorism, modern technology, and economic resilience. He proposed a people-centered development approach, including women’s colleges, micro-enterprises, and renewable energy in conflict-affected regions.
Bilawal also criticized Western reluctance to acknowledge Pakistan’s role and sacrifices. “Respect is the minimum dividend of sacrifice,” he declared, urging foreign governments and media to abandon the “troubled Pakistan” narrative and reflect the country’s transformative efforts, including its removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) greylist.
Touching on regional dynamics, Bilawal directed sharp criticism at the Taliban-led Afghan government for failing to curb cross-border militancy. “Sovereignty confers duty,” he said, calling on Kabul to honor its Doha commitments and prevent its soil from being used by anti-Pakistan terror outfits like the TTP and Baloch separatist groups.
Extending an olive branch to India, Bilawal proposed a “historic, phenomenal partnership” to jointly combat terrorism. “It is time India recognizes Pakistan’s transformation—not as a concession, but as an opportunity,” he said. He also urged renewed talks on longstanding disputes, including Kashmir and water-sharing, stressing that “terrorism has no nationality, no religion, no caste, no creed.”
The PPP chairman stressed the need to tackle extremism in digital spaces, proposing a Digital Bill of Rights to protect youth and counter online radicalization. He called on global tech companies to take stronger action against extremist content, saying, “Algorithms that detect copyright violations in milliseconds must also throttle hate.”
Bilawal underscored the critical role of Pakistan’s youth and women in defeating extremism. “Terror groups salivate at our demographics. I see a firewall,” he said, pointing to opportunities in tech, education, and entrepreneurship as antidotes to extremist recruitment.
He concluded with a call for unity, resilience, and global solidarity: “When the dust of this era settles, the chronicles will record that Pakistan—misunderstood, maligned, yet magnificent—stood at the trench line and dragged humanity back from the brink.”
