Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s age is only 34 years. He became the foreign minister of Pakistan in April this year.
After the assassination of mother Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007, Bilawal Bhutto was declared the successor of the Pakistan People’s Party. At that time, Bilawal was only 19 years old and was pursuing his graduation in History at Christ College, Oxford University. In 2009, Bilawal was made part of the Pakistani delegation to a US-Pakistan-Afghanistan conference. Then his father Asif Ali Zardari was the President of Pakistan and Bilawal was 21 years old. Bilawal had no experience in diplomatic affairs, apart from being part of this international delegation before becoming the foreign minister.
Bilawal was given the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Shahbaz Sharif’s government when it was being said that Pakistan is in the most difficult phase in terms of international relations, the reins of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been handed over to a person who has no experience. When Bilawal was made foreign minister, Pakistan’s English newspaper ‘The Dawn’ wrote, “Young Bilawal is being compared to his maternal grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was also Pakistan’s foreign minister from 1963 to 66. But Will the young Bilawal be able to give Pakistan the much needed status in international politics?”
Later Zulfikar Ali Bhutto became the President of Pakistan and then the Prime Minister. It has been only eight months since Bilawal Bhutto became the Foreign Minister and serious questions are being raised about the controversial remarks he made on Friday about the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
Where did the controversy start?
India holds the presidency of the United Nations Security Council in the month of December. India is a non-permanent member of the Security Council. There are a total of 15 members of the Security Council, out of which five America, Russia, China, France and Britain are permanent members and 10 countries including India are non-permanent members. The term of temporary members is for two years and this term of India is ending in December this year. The presidency of the UNSC rotates between these 15 member countries every month, and under this rule, India has got the presidency in the month of December.
India had called two high-level meetings of the Security Council under its chairmanship on 13 December. Both the meetings were on counter-terrorism and multi-polar reform of the UN Security Council. It started with the installation of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA. But during this time a meeting of G-77 plus China was called and its chairmanship is with Pakistan.
G-77 is also a group of United Nations. It is believed that Pakistan had called the G-77 meeting as a strategy so that if India surrounds Pakistan in UNSC on the issue of terrorism under its chairmanship, it will surround India in G-77. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto did the same. Under the chairmanship of India, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar was holding a high-level meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the fight against terrorism, while on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar in a press conference in Islamabad accused India of promoting terrorism inside Pakistan. accused of. The Foreign Minister of Pakistan also targeted India regarding the reform of the UNSC and said that if multipolar reform is to be taken forward, the issue of Kashmir should be resolved first.
Jaishankar’s comment on Osama
India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar responded to these allegations of Pakistan in New York on 15 December, saying, “The country which officially sponsors cross-border terrorism, which gives shelter to Osama bin Laden, the country whose role Indian Parliament was under attack, he cannot preach on terrorism.” While saying this, Jaishankar did not even take the name of Pakistan.
"The Foreign Minister of Pakistan is a victim of terrorism. I would like to remind the Minister of External Affairs of India that Osama Bin Laden is dead but the Butcher of Gujrat lives and he's the Prime Minister of India.", says Pak FM @BBhuttoZardari
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) December 16, 2022
S Jaishankar said these things in response to the questions of journalists at the press conference in New York. Meanwhile, a Pakistani journalist asked the Indian Foreign Minister that how long will South Asia continue to see the encouragement of terrorism from India? In response to this question, S Jaishankar said, “You are asking questions to the wrong minister. Pakistan’s minister will tell about how long they will continue the game of terrorism. The world is not a fool. My advice is to mend your ways.” And be a good neighbor.”
Responding to these answers of Jaishankar, Bilawal Bhutto made controversial remarks on PM Modi.
Bilawal Bhutto said, “Osama bin-Laden is dead but the ‘Butcher of Gujarat’ is still alive and he is the Prime Minister of India. America had banned him from coming here and this ban was imposed on his PM India’s Prime Minister belongs to RSS and Foreign Minister also belongs to RSS. What is RSS? RSS takes inspiration from Hitler’s SS. RSS does not believe in Gandhi’s ideology but believes in Gandhi’s killer terrorist .”
Describing this remark of Bilawal Bhutto as uncivilized, India’s Ministry of External Affairs replied on 16 December.
Pakistan reporter: How long South Asia will see terrorism from New Delhi, Kabul, Pakistan, how long they will be at war
India's EAM Jaishankar: You are asking the wrong minister..It is the minister of Pakistan who will tell you how long Pak intends to practice terrorism
Watch: pic.twitter.com/yrwyd3nS1P
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) December 15, 2022
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, “Bilawal Bhutto’s comment is low even from the point of view of Pakistan. The Pakistani Foreign Minister has forgotten today (16 December) in 1971 which was the result of the genocide of Bengalis and Hindus by the Pakistani rulers.” unfortunately Because of this, Pakistan is not ready to change its stand regarding minorities.” On 16 December 1971, the liberation war of Bangladesh ended with the help of India and Pakistan had to surrender. Bilawal Bhutto told ‘India Today’ in 2018 It was said in the interview that the image of the Prime Minister of India is not positive in Pakistan. Bilawal had said, “After the riots in Gujarat, his image is not positive in Pakistan. It was a good sign when Modi came to Pakistan. But it had no effect.”
Bilawat Bhutto said in an interview to ‘India Today’, “Your Prime Minister has been elected by the people of India and I respect this mandate. Narendra Modi’s image in Pakistan is not good because of the 2002 Gujarat riots. Social Media In the era of Pakistan, you cannot hide anything, what is happening in Kashmir or outside. It was fine for Narendra Modi to come to Pakistan, but something concrete has to be done to establish peace.”
How are the people of Pakistan viewing Bilawal’s remarks?
How should Bilawal Bhutto’s controversial comment on Prime Minister Modi be viewed? Would a mature diplomat have given a similar answer? Abdul Basit, who was Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India, does not see this as a mature and sensible comment. He said in his video blog, “I do not consider it right in the mirror of diplomacy. It is not considered right in diplomacy for the Prime Minister, the President and the Foreign Minister to say this. Should I say it or if a common man says it, it goes well.” Because people say in an impulse, but it is not right for the foreign minister to go to this level.”
Abdul Basit says, “Imran Khan also used to call Modi a fascist and even then I did not support it. It is not appropriate at that level. If Bilawal had decided that he had to answer Jaishankar, he would have one thing to say. There is a way. It is not necessary that you say everything to yourself. There are thousands of ways to say it.” Professor of Physics at Lahore’s Forman Christian College and Pakistan’s well-known intellectual Parvez Hudabhoy also considers Bilawal Bhutto’s remarks as ‘immature’.
"Evidence-backed proposals that are put on hold without assigning adequate reason", EAM Jaishankar sends a message to China on the country blocking listing of Pak based terrorists as UN terrorists. pic.twitter.com/oUV2FBy3JK
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) December 15, 2022
Parvez Hudabhoy told , “Bilawal is absolutely blank. But he is showing his loyalty to the army. Only last month Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah became the new army chief of Pakistan. Will give a befitting reply. Now Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal will show their loyalty by speaking against India.” Parvez Hudabhoy says, “Pakistan’s economy has collapsed. There is hardly $6 billion in foreign exchange reserves. With this amount, the import bill can be paid only for a few weeks. The government is failing on every front within the country. In such a situation, something has to be done to please the domestic public.” This is the purpose of Bilawal’s statement. Injustice has happened in Gujarat, it is true. The sky is blue, it is true but it is not a new thing. The new thing is that at which time you chose to raise it. The aim is to please the domestic public by saying anything.”
Many experts also say that when there are personal attacks on Narendra Modi from the side of the Government of Pakistan, then his support inside India increases and it affects the Muslims of India as well. Parvez Hudabhoy also believes that when such attacks happen on Narendra Modi from Pakistan, his support inside India only increases and its effect falls on the minorities there. Hudabhoy says, “Such statements are for domestic use. Bilawal’s statement has seemed fine to the Muslims of Pakistan. But this will have a worse effect on the deteriorating economic condition of Pakistan. The aim of the leaders of both the countries now is to To stay in power and that’s why they do all this.”
Parvez Hudabhoy says, “Pakistan’s economy will completely collapse, its apprehension is increasing. We have six billion dollars and India has about 600 billion dollars. At the same time, Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves are also six times more than Pakistan’s. The army has taken root in the politics of Pakistan. All major decisions are taken by the army. People say that many countries have armies, but in Pakistan, the army has a country.” “There was no leader in Pakistan after the death of Jinnah Sahib, so the army took over the country. Religion is such a thing which can be different for every person. If you insist that what would have happened 1400 years ago If it should be like that then we will be trapped. We are trapped. That’s why every leader who comes here proves his loyalty towards religion and army. Now the same trend is visible in India as well.”
Senior Fellow of King’s College and renowned security expert of Pakistan, Ayesha Siddiqa says that the opinion of people in Pakistan is divided on Bilawal Bhutto’s comment. Siddiqa says that there are also a large number of people who believe that Bilawal has shown his immaturity and inexperience. Ayesha Siddiqa herself believes the same. She says, “I don’t think Bilawal has given a very thoughtful statement. His statement is being seen as the statement of an inexperienced foreign minister. Bilawal is trying to please the Bhutto army but I The army doesn’t seem to be too happy with this. Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif also won’t be enthused about Bilawal’s comment. I think both of them must be thinking the same What did he say. After Bajwa’s departure, there has been no such change at the policy level, on the basis of which it can be said that Bilawal has said this to please the army.”
Ayesha Siddique says, “Bilawal Bhutto is imitating his maternal grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was also very aggressive about Kashmir. Bilawal feels that he should follow his grandfather’s path. Will get strength in India. Modi was surrounded in his country due to China’s aggression on LAC, but due to Bilawal’s comment, the entire focus has come on Pakistan. The sympathy of Hindus will only increase. Pakistan should also think that it should refrain from making such comments which cause problems to the minorities in India.”
There is nothing more likely to rally support in India for Modi than Pakistan criticising him. Pakistanis either know this and don’t care how it will damage Indian Muslims, or they are too ideologically blind to notice, or they are looking for gain domestically. https://t.co/rjR4TaY8SZ
— Myra MacDonald (@myraemacdonald) December 16, 2022
Ayesha says, “Jaishankar has been an experienced diplomat. He also remains aggressive but India’s aggression is tolerated by western countries because they need India. But if Bilawal shows the same aggression, it will backfire. People of Pakistan are very They are in trouble and the leaders there should pay attention to their people instead of increasing tension with India. Mira Macdonald, author of ‘Heights of Madness’ and expert on South Asia, says, “Pakistan’s criticism of Modi only increases his support in India. Pakistanis don’t care that it affects India’s Muslims. Pakistanis try to take political advantage from such statements within their country.”
What do the experts in India say?
Asked former Foreign Minister of India and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid how he sees Bilawal Bhutto’s comment on PM Modi? Salman Khurshid said, “We will not accept under any circumstances that any outsider should make personal comments on our Prime Minister. This is completely unacceptable. As far as Bilawal Bhutto is concerned, it only shows his immaturity and inexperience.” Shows. Diplomacy doesn’t work like this.”
Make no mistake.
This is a deliberate, calculated statement meant to do the damage it’s doing. Gen. Munir is quickly & surely reversing Bajwa’s policy of restraint w. India. Expect intense turbulence on India’s western front.
More thoughts on this soon.https://t.co/uqDL5EeN4X
— Avinash Paliwal अविनाश पालीवाल (@PaliwalAvi) December 16, 2022
Does Salman Khurshid accept Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s statement as correct? In response, Khurshid said, “I believe that the government should also approach the opposition on such issues so that there is a voice at the national level. We need to be united on such issues. The problem is that the government does not trust the opposition refrains from taking. Avinash Paliwal, Professor of International Relations at SOS, London, tweeted Bilawal’s statement, saying, “This is a deliberate and thoughtful statement. Gen Munir is swiftly and surely changing Gen Bajwa’s policy. Gen Bajwa wanted peaceful and controlled dealings with India. In the coming days huge tension may increase on India’s western front.”
Navdeep Suri, who was India’s ambassador to UAE, believes that Bilawal’s controversial comment on PM Modi is his stupidity. Navdeep Suri tweeted and wrote, “This is a stupid comment. Whichever way you look at it, I think it has been said without thinking.” When Imran Khan was the Prime Minister of Pakistan, he often used to make fun of Bilawal Bhutto. In March this year, while addressing a public meeting in Pakistan, Imran Khan had said, “Asif Ali Zardari, for God’s sake, teach your son Urdu. It has been 15 years, but it still rains. Sugar rises.” It’s God’s fault. I have seen the British learn Urdu in two years. Even now he doesn’t know whether the girl comes or comes.”
