ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called on the international community to make dialogue, diplomacy, justice and respect for national sovereignty the foundations of a peaceful world.
In his message on World Peace Day, Bilawal said conflicts in different parts of the world had demonstrated that military confrontation could not provide sustainable solutions to political disputes. He stressed the need to strengthen diplomatic mechanisms and resolve conflicts through negotiations rather than war.
Referring to the recent US-Iran conflict and Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, he said Pakistan had demonstrated its commitment to peace by facilitating communication and encouraging the parties to pursue a negotiated settlement.
Bilawal said the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran had reinforced the message that dialogue was preferable to war and diplomacy could offer a stronger path to resolving conflicts.
He said Pakistan, having itself suffered the consequences of war, terrorism and regional instability, understood the human and economic costs of conflict. Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate communication between the United States and Iran, he added, reflected its stated policy of supporting peaceful resolution of disputes.
The PPP chairman also reiterated his call for “permanent peace in South Asia”, saying outstanding regional issues, including the Kashmir dispute, water-related matters and terrorism, should be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy rather than military confrontation.
He expressed concern over the continued suffering of civilians in the Middle East and called for an end to violence, protection of civilian lives and meaningful international efforts towards a just and lasting peace in the region.
Bilawal said international principles should be applied consistently, stressing the importance of respecting sovereignty, territorial integrity, human rights and the right of peoples to self-determination.
“On World Peace Day, we must remind ourselves that peace is not simply the absence of war. It requires justice, dialogue, equality and respect for human dignity. The international community must choose diplomacy over confrontation and cooperation over division,” he said.
He added that the PPP, following the political legacy of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, would continue to support democratic values, peaceful coexistence and diplomatic approaches to international disputes.
Bilawal urged world leaders to work collectively towards a world in which disputes are resolved through negotiations rather than on the battlefield.
