This was said by the chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari, on Saturday "war is not an option" and welcomed the Islamabad talks as an important opportunity for peace as US and Iranian delegations arrived in Pakistan. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Bilawal said the talks come after weeks of destruction, noting that the world is watching "with cautious optimism" as work is done to move from conflict to dialogue.
"The fact that these negotiations are taking place is the greatest achievement so far," he said, adding that it is important "the ceasefire is in effect" and that "bombing has stopped in most of the Middle East." He added that there is hope that the current ceasefire may lead to "a more lasting and permanent solution to this conflict."
Referring to the broader diplomatic effort, he said several countries have played a role in creating space for dialogue, including Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt and Qatar. "Everyone has been affected by this, so everyone is making a collective effort to create the diplomatic space for this ceasefire to happen," he said. However, he warned that the way forward remains difficult, adding that the negotiations are "complex and challenging," but emphasized it "war is not an option" warns that the conflict will continue to have serious consequences unless a middle ground for lasting peace is reached. Responding to questions regarding alliances being redrawn in the Gulf region, Bilawal said regional actors remain focused on resolving the ongoing conflict. "I think everyone is focused on the present, on solving this current conflict," he said, adding that the situation has had it "most influential in the Middle East," including Iran and several Gulf countries. He further noted that broader issues of shifting alliances would need to be addressed later, stressing that this would only be possible "if this ceasefire is permanent and we have a solution to this conflict."
He also warned of wider consequences if the effort fails, saying there is more to come "the danger that we will not reach it," adding that such an outcome would have consequences "for the entire region."
A day earlier, Bilawal while speaking to Sky News said that the international community "don’t have a plan B"warns of catastrophic human and economic consequences if talks between the US and Iran fail to produce results. According to the OPP chief, "all eyes" was in the visiting delegations and added that the conflict had affected people in Pakistan, London, New York, the Middle East and Asia. Asked if there was one "Plan B" if negotiations did not lead to a formal agreement during the ceasefire period, Bilawal said: "I think the international community does not have a plan B. Our plan A is to achieve a peaceful solution to this conflict and a more permanent peace."
"We can sort of measure the toll of this conflict, not only in loss of human life, but also the economic costs borne by the people of my country and of your country, so we are all hopeful," he said. He said the current ceasefire area should be built upon to move towards "a more lasting, more permanent peace for the benefit of the international community". Responding to a question on Pakistan’s diplomatic role and associated challenges, Bilawal said Islamabad’s engagement was a significant achievement, adding that efforts had been underway over the past month to bring the US and Iran to a ceasefire and define the contours of continued dialogue. However, he acknowledged that challenges remained, particularly the trust deficit between the two sides.
"However, as with diplomatic engagements and negotiations, there will be confidence-building measures that both sides will take to increase the space for dialogue and diplomacy in the pursuit of peace," he said.
