"Fear is palpable": Amit Malviya slams Bilawal Bhutto over Pakistan’s terror admission

Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell, has sharply criticized Pakistan People’s Party president Bilawal Bhutto Zardari after the latter publicly acknowledged Pakistan's history of supporting terror organisations. Malviya called the tone of Bhutto’s statement “palpable with fear” and posted a screenshot of the interview on social media, adding fuel to the post-Pahalgam terror attack diplomatic fire.

In an interview with Sky News, Bilawal Bhutto admitted that Pakistan had ties with extremist elements in the past, stating, “We have suffered because of it. But we’ve also learned lessons and undergone reforms.” His remarks followed those of Pakistan’s defence minister Khwaja Asif, who recently admitted on the same platform that Pakistan had supported terror networks as part of its geopolitical dealings, especially during and after the Cold War era.

Bhutto, while portraying Pakistan as reformed and peaceful, warned India during a rally in Mirpur Khas that “if anyone attacks our Sindhu, they should be ready for war.” He claimed that while Pakistan seeks peace, it is prepared to retaliate if provoked.

These rare admissions from top Pakistani leaders come after the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead. The assault was orchestrated by the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit, known to have longstanding ties with Pakistan’s intelligence network.

India has frequently accused Pakistan of fostering terrorism, a charge Islamabad often dismissed. However, these back-to-back acknowledgements from Bhutto and Asif have not only validated India’s concerns but also sparked strong reactions from political quarters in New Delhi.