Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday accused India of preparing for another military confrontation and urged New Delhi to step back from what he described as a “theatre of war” and return to negotiations to ensure regional stability.
Addressing a joint session of Parliament of Pakistan amid loud opposition protests, Zardari said Indian leaders themselves had spoken about readiness for another conflict. “As a lifelong advocate of regional peace, I would not recommend it,” he said, as reported by India Today, adding that Pakistan remained open to dialogue. He stressed that meaningful negotiations, rather than military escalation, were the only viable path to lasting security in South Asia.
Zardari strongly criticised India’s move to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, terming it plain and simple hydro-terrorism. He accused New Delhi of weaponising water flows to exert political pressure, warning that such steps could further inflame regional tensions.
Reiterating Islamabad’s long-standing position on Kashmir, Zardari said Pakistan would continue to extend diplomatic and moral support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He argued that durable peace in South Asia would remain elusive until the Kashmir dispute was resolved in accordance with international commitments and the aspirations of the local population.
Turning his attention westward, Zardari cited a recent United Nations report warning about the continued presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. He cautioned that ignoring the issue could leave other countries vulnerable to catastrophic attacks. Zardari said Pakistan had exhausted diplomatic channels in an effort to prevent military escalation stemming from cross-border militant activity.
“The soil of Pakistan is sacred,” he said, vowing that Islamabad would not allow any domestic or foreign entity to use neighbouring territory to destabilise the country’s peace. He accused Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban government of failing to honour commitments under the Doha agreement to prevent militant groups from operating from Afghan soil, and urged Kabul to dismantle such networks.
Zardari Condemns Middle East Tensions
Zardari also condemned the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and expressed condolences over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He denounced attacks targeting Gulf nations including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s foreign policy stance, he reiterated support for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital.
Monday’s address marked Zardari’s ninth speech to a joint sitting of Parliament and was repeatedly disrupted by opposition lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, who chanted slogans demanding the release of their jailed leader and former prime minister Imran Khan.
