A high-level Pakistani parliamentary delegation, led by Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party and former Foreign Minister, Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari , held a focused interaction at International Institute of Strategic Studies, one of the world’s premier think tanks on defence and security.

The session, moderated by Desmond Bowen, Associate Fellow for South and Central Asian Defence, Strategy and Diplomacy at International Institute of Strategic Studies, brought together a distinguished audience of policymakers, academics, strategic analysts, and media professionals.

During the engagement, the delegation apprised the participants of the recent escalation in South Asia, voicing serious concern over India’s unprovoked military strikes that resulted in civilian casualties and posed a significant threat to regional peace and stability. They underscored that these strikes constituted a blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, international law, and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. It was emphasized that Pakistan, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter, exercised its inherent right to self-defence through a measured and proportionate response, intended to demonstrate its legitimate right, firm resolve, and capability to safeguard its territory and protect its people.

In his remarks, Mr. Bilawal strongly denounced India’s unilateral and illegal suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, terming it a flagrant breach of international obligations and a direct threat to the water security of over 240 million Pakistanis. He noted that the weaponisation of water undermines international norms and sets a perilous precedent. He urged the international community to take notice of this alarming development and make India accountable for its actions.

Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the core issue in India-Pakistan relations. The delegation urged the international community to support meaningful dialogue and ensure respect for international commitments and human rights. Pakistan always advocated for constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue for resolutions all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

The delegation also engaged in a candid Q&A session, responding to a range of queries from participants, addressing concerns related to regional tensions, Pakistan’s diplomatic approach, and its broader vision for peace, stability, and cooperation in South Asia.

The other members of the delegation included: Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Masood Malik ; Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination and former Minister for Information and Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman ; Chairperson, National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar ; former Minister for Commerce, Defence and Foreign Affairs, Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan ; MQM’s Parliamentary Leader in the Senate and former Minister for Maritime Affairs, Senator Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari ; and Senator Bushra Anjum Butt , Former Foreign Secretaries, Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani , who also served as Caretaker Foreign Minister, and Ambassador Tehmina Janjua .

London
09 June 2025

• PTI claims police, admin interfered in polling; PPP seeks ECP intervention
• Punjab minister plays down claims, says PP-52 constituents ‘expressed full confidence’ in CM Maryam

NAROWAL/GUJRAT: As the PML-N candidate seemed poised to clinch the by-election on a provincial assembly seat (PP-52) in Sialkot by a wide margin, rival candidates alleged interference by the ruling party to manipulate results with the help of the administration and police on Sunday.

The balloting remained peaceful throughout the day, except for verbal arguments between PTI supporters and the police at some polling stations out of a total of 185.

By the time this report went to press, unofficial results indicated that PML-N candidate Hina Arshad Warraich had clinched the seat with 78,702 votes against PTI-backed independent candidate Fakhir Nashat Ghumman’s 39,018 votes.

https://www.dawn.com/news/card/1911688,

In a statement, PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Ms Warraich on her victory and thanked the people of Sialkot for reposing trust in the party.

The PP-52 seat had fallen vacant after the demise of PML-N MPA Arshad Javed Warraich about two months ago.

Apparently for security reasons, the local administration had placed containers in front of the returning officer’s (RO) office – a move lambasted by the PTI as well as the PPP, which also staged a sit-in in front of the RO’s office in Sambrial.

The local administration said the containers had been present outside the office since the start of the voting process and that the office wasn’t sealed after the polling.

PPP leader and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, while speaking to media persons in Sambrial, said that polling stations had been closed in several areas by the administration.

He said if results were changed, that would be unfortunate, adding that it would not be a good omen for the government. He said he wanted to bring the matter to the notice of the chief election commissioner, saying it was not tolerable that alleged rigging took place during the by-election.

Provincial Election Commissioner Sharifullah, in a statement, denied these allegations. He said the voting process continued in all 185 polling stations without any interruption till 5pm. He said that the election commission would review any complaint regarding irregularities if it was provided in a proper way.

On the other hand, PTI leader Usman Dar alleged that the PTI voters, supporters and polling agents were expelled from different polling stations by the police to favour the ruling party’s candidate. Responding to the PTI and PPP allegations, Punjab Infor­mation Minister Azma Bukhari said that the people of Punjab had expressed full confidence in Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the Sialkot by-poll held on Sunday.

In an apparent reference to the PPP, she said even the party that got 400 votes was complaining abo­ut rigging. In a jibe at the PTI, she said that those who use words like ‘deals and NRO as weapons’ were now seeking deals themselves.

In a presser in Islamabad, the PTI accused the Punjab government and police of interfering in the by-poll, claiming that its polling agents were expelled from the polling stations. The former ruling party also claimed to have “video evidence of the rigging”.

PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqqas Akram said that the by-election was rigged because the Punjab government was aware that it would not be able to win without manipulating the polling. He claimed that there were a large number of people in rallies and public meetings, due to which the Punjab government was sure that it stood no chance in the by-election.

“To win the election, PTI polling agents were forcefully removed from the polling stations, and then ballot papers were stamped and polled. Workers of the PML-N were allowed to remain in the polling stations, while our polling agents were told to leave. We have video evidence of all that,” he claimed.

Sheikh Waqqas alleged that pol­ice officials were openly supporting the PML-N workers and threatening the PTI workers. He alleged that workers of PTI, who refused to leave, were beaten and thrown out of polling stations. He clai­med that the helpline of the Elect­ion Comm­ission of Pakistan had become inaccessible during the polling.

Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2025

Paris (Imran Y. CHOUDHRY) :- Former Press Secretary to the President, Former Press Minister to the Embassy of Pakistan to France, Former MD, SRBC Mr. Qamar Bashir analysis : While the West devastated Afghanistan through decades of war, drone strikes, and foreign occupation, China took a different path—quiet, strategic, and respectful. As American troops dropped bombs and NATO scrambled for exits, China was building something far more enduring: relationships, trust, and long-term partnerships—not with governments or factions, but with the people themselves.
China never intervened in internal conflicts. It didn’t back one militia over another or try to redesign Afghanistan in its own image. Instead, it reached out to Afghan farmers, miners, traders, and workers—those who hold the real stake in a nation’s future. China didn’t issue ultimatums or demand allegiance. It offered trade, development, investment, and a shared vision rooted in mutual benefit. While others saw Afghanistan as a battlefield, China saw it as a bridge. And now, that vision is taking form.
On May 21, 2025, a landmark “informal” meeting in Beijing brought together the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. More than handshakes and smiles, it marked a strategic turning point: the decision to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan. A decision that could not only reshape the region, but offer Afghanistan a real shot at peace—on Afghan terms.
CPEC, the flagship of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, has already transformed Pakistan with highways, ports, power plants, and rail links. Now, Afghanistan joins this evolving network—not as a dependent state, but as a vital partner. This is not just about infrastructure; it’s about integration. Roads will link not only cities, but economies. Corridors will connect not only markets, but destinies.
Importantly, the emphasis is not just on “hard” connectivity—rails, roads, ports—but also on “soft” connectivity: harmonizing regulations, easing trade, facilitating the movement of people, and respecting local customs and social structures. It’s a nuanced, sophisticated model. One that does not demand political alignment but offers economic alignment.
And within this spirit of integration, other dormant regional initiatives are regaining momentum—CASA-1000, TAPI, the Trans-Afghan Railway—each poised to support energy sharing, trade expansion, and regional mobility.
What sets China apart is its commitment to letting Afghanistan rebuild itself—on its own cultural, social, and religious terms. There is no political engineering. No social or cultural meddling. China is not offering a model to impose; it is offering a hand to uplift. And that matters in a land long scarred by foreign interference.
This new economic vision will allow Afghanistan to thrive the Afghan way. Under the guidance of its traditions, shaped by the values of its people, and led by the social fabric rooted in the Pashtunwali code, Afghanistan can now envision a future that is both modern and authentic.
In the same meeting, the three nations also addressed regional peace and stability with clarity and resolve. They jointly emphasized that no group or actor—whether Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM)—would be allowed to use their territories to threaten regional security.
But this was not a military statement. It was a reaffirmation that true security is a product of stability and opportunity, not surveillance and subjugation. And for the first time in years, regional players are aligning not around ideology, but around infrastructure, integration, and mutual interest.
The commitment to non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs—a principle stressed by all three parties—further highlights the maturity of this partnership. Where others tried to rule, this alliance seeks to support.
This development also sends a gentle but clear message to powers like the United States, the broader West, and even India: peace is not built through pressure or presence—it is earned through partnership.
India, in particular, is watching this shift with unease. Having long opposed CPEC due to its passage through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, New Delhi now sees its regional influence challenged by a deepening China-Afghanistan-Pakistan axis. Its strategic projects like Chabahar Port and regional outreach to Central Asia now face real competition.
But perhaps this is also a moment for reflection. What has military intervention achieved that peaceful development cannot exceed? What has isolation created that connectivity cannot heal?
Afghanistan, long viewed as a crossroads of conflict, is now being prepared to become a corridor of cooperation. With CPEC stretching into its heartlands, Afghan traders will gain access to global markets. Afghan workers will have new employment prospects. Afghan youth will see schools grow, roads built, and hope return.
This transformation won’t happen overnight—but it is no longer a fantasy. With $40–50 billion in projected regional investments, trade volume expected to multiply, and transit routes expanding across borders, Afghanistan is poised to become a pivot—linking South Asia to Central Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.
China’s approach isn’t just strategic—it is profoundly human. It understands that the way to build peace is to help people live with dignity. To give them something to lose—and thus, something to protect. And that’s exactly how China transformed Xinjiang—by investing in education, skills, industries, and livelihoods. Now, the same model is being softly replicated in Afghanistan.
With China’s integrated, respectful, and win-win approach, a new Afghanistan is within reach—one where terrorism fades into irrelevance, schools thrive, trade routes flourish, and airports once again welcome the world. Roads of international standard will connect the country to the region. Its corridors will pulse with economic life. Its cities will hum with opportunity.
And most importantly, this prosperity will belong to Afghans. It will be shaped by their traditions, guided by their values, lived according to their social norms, and honored through their timeless Pashtunwali code. No foreign model will be imposed. No social fabric will be rewritten. No cultural identity will be challenged.
This is not a distant hope. It is a near and unfolding reality. Under China’s guidance and with regional cooperation, Afghanistan is no longer the world’s forgotten battlefield. It is becoming its new bridge—linking civilizations, reviving ancient trade routes, and lighting a path toward shared peace and prosperity.