Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday gave an exclusive interview to Indian journalist Karan Thapar on The Wire, the first major appearance by a Pakistani politician on Indian media since the two countries engaged in military clashes in May.
The PPP chairman said the Indian public was “lied to” by New Delhi about Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that killed 26 people, including a Nepalese national.
Bilawal reminded the Indian journalist that Pakistan has been willing to be part of an impartial international investigation into the Pahalgam incident, however, “your government refused that”.
“To this day, the Indian government has not shared with Pakistan, with the international community, with the Indian public… who exactly are these individuals that were involved in this terrorist attack that are from Pakistan?” said the PPP chairman, asking Thapar why did he not know the names of the attackers.
“It’s very uncomfortable for you that I point out the truth to the Indian public, that they have been lied to… that Pakistan was involved in this attack when we were not,” he stressed, as Karan Thapar turner increasingly aggressive.
Bilawal further stated that New Delhi has been unable to provide the evidence that Pakistan allegedly orchestrated the attack in Pahalgam, adding, “That’s why during this war, the Indian media and the Indian government launched a campaign of disinformation to continue to bamboozle the people of India.”
On being asked about Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) Chief Hafiz Saeed and the November 26, 2008, Mumbai attacks, which claimed the lives of at least 166 people, Bilawal highlighted that the LeT chief was in prison and that the Mumbai attack case was still ongoing.
“As far as Hafiz Saeed is concerned, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, he was sentenced to 31 years in prison for terrorist financing in April 2022 by Pakistan,” Bilawal added.
“As far as the Mumbai attack case is concerned, it’s absolutely true that the case is still sub judice. The frustration that the courts and the Pakistani government and legal system are having with achieving a conviction is that India is refusing to participate in the trial and produce the witnesses necessary to record their statements.”
Despite repeated interruptions and attempts by the Indian journalist to sensationalise the conversation for local Indian audience, Bilawal answered all questions with clarity, without losing his diplomatic poise, a fact being praised by netizens in Pakistan.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), one user wrote that during the interview, Bilawal “chooses dialogue over division”. Another wrote, “Midway through the debate, I greatly admire Mr. Bilawal’s calm demeanour and his impressive restraint in keeping his temper throughout.”
Another tweep, while highlighting Thapar becoming unreasonably combative, asked, “As for the interview, was that Arnab Goswami (controversial Indian anchor) in disguise as Karan Thapar?”
“Karan Thapar, usually calm, spoke over @BBhuttoZardari 31 times in 34 mins, interrupted outright 23 times, got visibly frustrated 7 times. Bilawal’s longest free answer? Barely 1 minute. Bilawal didn’t lose composure once. That’s who won the room (sic),” another account pointed out.
“A powerful and bold move by @BBhuttoZardari, taking Pakistan’s stance right into the heart of Indian media. This is not just diplomacy; it’s defiance with clarity. We need leaders who confront narratives, not hide behind them,” a fifth user said.
