Bilawal Bhutto Admits Setbacks on Kashmir Push, Signals Rare Softening Toward India Post-Operation Sindoor

New York: In a rare moment of diplomatic candour, former Pakistani Foreign Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has acknowledged that Islamabad continues to face serious setbacks in its efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue. Addressing the media at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Bhutto admitted, “As far as the hurdles we face within the UN and in general, as far as the Kashmir cause is concerned, that still exists.”

Bhutto is currently leading a Pakistani parliamentary delegation to the United States in an effort to push Islamabad’s narrative on recent regional tensions, especially in the wake of India’s powerful military response — Operation Sindoor — launched after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 innocent lives.

In a striking shift from Pakistan’s traditionally combative posture, Bhutto struck a reconciliatory tone, signalling openness to work with India to counter terrorism. “Pakistan would still like to cooperate with India to combat terrorism. We can’t leave the fate of 1.5 billion, 1.7 billion people in the hands of non-state actors and terrorists,” he said, subtly distancing his country from terror groups accused of staging attacks on Indian soil.

Bhutto also underlined the urgent need for institutional channels of communication between the two nuclear powers, cautioning against the risks of unmitigated conflict. “You can’t have no dispute resolution mechanisms between two nuclear-armed countries,” he remarked, a possible nod to India’s longstanding view that Pakistan’s inaction against terror elements has undermined any prospects of dialogue.

What came as a surprise to many observers was Bhutto’s suggestion that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) should consider joint efforts to tackle terrorism in the region. “I am completely confident that if ISI and RAW were ready to sit down and work together to fight these forces, we would see a significant decrease in terrorism in both India and Pakistan,” he said.

His softened rhetoric coincides with reports of heavy military losses suffered by Pakistan following Operation Sindoor. Indian intelligence assessments have indicated that the operation crippled Pakistan’s military assets — with the destruction of six PAF fighter jets, two strategic aircraft, a C-130 transporter, over 10 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), and several missile platforms.

Meanwhile, India’s own diplomatic mission — led by senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor — is continuing its outreach in Washington, presenting New Delhi’s stance on regional security and counterterrorism.