Two high-level multiparty delegations — a part of the country’s broad-based campaign to present its perspective to the international community on the recent spike in tensions with India — will engage in a series of meetings, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday.
A high-level Pakistani delegation — consisting of two 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. It will also visit Washington DC, London and Brussels, the FO said.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Hina Rabbani Khar, Senator Sherry Rehman, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Tehmina Janjua, Mussadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir, Bushra Anjum Butt and Faisal Sabzwari are members of the first delegation.
The group is scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the president of the UN General Assembly, ambassadors of all five permanent members of the Security Council, and will 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.
According to the FO, another delegation, led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, will visit Moscow today.
“The visits of these delegations are aimed at projecting Pakistan’s perspective on the recent Indian aggression,” the 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 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”.
Rehman emphasised that the meetings will have strategic importance, and not be “mere photo opportunities”.
She added that country’s status as “a responsible and stable middle power” has 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.
