Following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the accounts of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have been suspended in India.
Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto had acknowledged his country’s tango with terror operatives, saying that Pakistan has a past. Bhutto acknowledged Pakistan’s history with extremism, claiming the nation has suffered as a result and has since reformed.
His statement followed Defence Minister Khwaja Asif’s admission of Pakistan’s involvement in backing and funding terrorist groups.
In a conversation with Sky News’s Yalda Hakim on Thursday, Bhutto said, “As far as what the defence minister said, I don’t think it is a secret that Pakistan has a past… As a result, we have suffered, Pakistan has suffered. We have gone through wave after wave of extremism. But as a result of what we suffered, we also learned our lessons. We have gone through internal reforms to address this problem…”
“As far as Pakistan’s history is concerned, it is history, and it is not something that we are partaking in today. It is true that it is an unfortunate part of our history,” Bhutto further said.
Bhutto had addressed a rally in Mirpur Khas on Thursday and engaged in empty rhetoric, claiming that Pakistan wanted peace but was ready for war if India provoked them.
“Pakistan is a peaceful country, and Islam is a peaceful religion. We do not want war, but if someone attacks our Sindhu, then they should be ready for war. We don’t beat the drums of war, but if provoked, the roar of a united Pakistan will be deafening,” he said in the rally.
Bhutto was under fire for making a controversial “either water or blood will flow” statement, threatening India over the suspension of the Indus water treaty, which allocates the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan and the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India. (ANI)
