Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari said on Saturday "war is not an option" and welcomed the Islamabad talks as a key opportunity for peace as US and Iranian delegations arrived in Pakistan. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Bilawal said the talks come after weeks of devastation and noted that the world is watching. "with cautious optimism" as efforts are made to move from conflict to dialogue.
"The fact that these talks are taking place is the biggest achievement so far," he said, adding that it is significant that "ceasefire is in effect" and so? "Bombing has stopped in most of the Middle East." He added that there are hopes that the current ceasefire could lead to "a more lasting and permanent solution to this conflict."
Referring to the broader diplomatic effort, he said several countries have played a role in creating spaces for dialogue, including Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt and Qatar. "Everyone has been affected by this, so we are all making a collective effort to create the diplomatic space for this ceasefire to happen." said. However, he warned that the road ahead remains difficult, adding that talks are "complex and challenging," but he stressed that "war is not an option," warning that the conflict will continue to have serious consequences unless a middle ground for lasting peace is reached. Responding to questions about alliances being redefined in the Gulf region, Bilawal said regional players remain focused on resolving the ongoing conflict. "I think everyone is focused on the now, on resolving this current conflict," he said, adding that the situation has had the "greatest impact in the Middle East," among them Iran and several Gulf countries. He further noted that broader questions about changing alliances would need to be addressed later, and emphasized that this would only be possible "if this ceasefire is permanent and we have a solution to this conflict."
He also warned of broader consequences if the efforts fail, saying there is still "the danger that we will not achieve it," adding that such a result would have repercussions "for the entire region."
A day earlier, Bilawal, speaking to Sky News, said the international community "he doesn’t have a plan b"warning of catastrophic human and economic consequences if talks between the United States and Iran fail to produce results. According to the head of the PPP, "all eyes" were on visiting delegations and added that the conflict had affected people in Pakistan, London, New York, the Middle East and Asia. He was asked if there was a "Plan B" If talks did not lead to a formal agreement during the ceasefire period, Bilawal said: "I believe that the international community does not have a plan B. Our Plan A needs to achieve a peaceful resolution of this conflict and a more permanent peace."
"We can measure the cost of this conflict not only in the loss of human life but also in the economic cost borne by the people of my country and yours, so we all have hope." said. He said that the current ceasefire space should be taken advantage of to move towards "a more lasting and permanent peace for the benefit of the international community". Responding to a question on Pakistan’s diplomatic role and associated challenges, Bilawal said Islamabad’s commitment was a significant achievement, adding that efforts had been made over the past month to bring the US and Iran to a ceasefire and define the outlines for continued dialogue. However, he acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly the trust deficit between the two sides.
"But as with diplomatic engagements and negotiations, both sides will adopt confidence-building measures to increase space for dialogue and diplomacy in the pursuit of peace." said.
