Pakistani delegation to meet UN, OIC leaders from June 2-3 following India standoff

Pakistan's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (second from left) along with other Pakistan officials attend a brieifing at Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, Pakistan, on May 20, 2025, as in Pakistan鈥檚 latest diplomatic push following its conflict with India last month. (MOFA/Facebook)
Short Url
  • Ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to lead Pakistani delegation in meetings with UN leaders, OIC envoys in New York
  • Delegation to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UN General Assembly president and Security Council members

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani delegation led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is scheduled to meet leaders representing the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in New York from June 2-3, state-run media reported on Sunday, in Islamabad鈥檚 latest diplomatic push following its conflict with India last month.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced in May that a Pakistani delegation would present Islamabad鈥檚 position and advocate for the country in world capitals following its recent military conflict with India. 

Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India are high after they agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 following the most intense military confrontation in decades. Both countries accuse the other of supporting militancy on each other鈥檚 soil 鈥� a charge both capitals deny.

The nine-member parliamentary delegation led by Bhutto Zardari will present Pakistan鈥檚 perspective on the recent military clash with India and 鈥渃ounter New Delhi鈥檚 disinformation campaign about the conflict,鈥� the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. 

鈥淒uring their stay in New York, the delegation members will have several meetings, including with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the UN General Assembly, as well as the Ambassadors of Permanent & non-permanent members of the UN Security Council,鈥� APP said.

鈥淏esides these meetings, the delegation will also brief OIC members at the United Nations.鈥�

The latest military escalation, in which the two countries traded missiles, drone attacks and artillery fire, was sparked after India accused Pakistan of supporting militants who attacked dozens of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, killing 26. Islamabad denies involvement.

Tensions persist between India and Pakistan as after the April tourist attack, Delhi 鈥減ut in abeyance鈥� its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. The treaty governs the usage of the Indus river system. The accord has not been revived despite the rivals agreeing on a ceasefire last week following the conflict.

Islamabad said after India suspended the treaty that it considered 鈥渁ny attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan鈥� to be an 鈥榓ct of war.鈥�

About 80 percent of Pakistani farms depend on the Indus system, as do nearly all hydropower projects serving the country of some 250 million.

In a media interaction last month, Bhutto Zardari said his team had received a briefing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the recent standoff with India and ceasefire brokered by the US, as well as on contention issues like the Kashmir dispute, terrorism, and India鈥檚 unilateral move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.