Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Friday that Pakistan would not oppose extraditing “individuals of concern” to India — but only if New Delhi fully cooperates with the legal and judicial process. He made these remarks during an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera English in London.
Bilawal stressed that Pakistan is open to meaningful dialogue with India, especially on the issue of terrorism. When asked about the possible extradition of banned group leaders like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, he said that such a step could be taken as a confidence-building measure if India genuinely engages with Pakistan through a structured, evidence-based process.
He clarified that both LeT and JeM are banned organizations in Pakistan. Hafiz Saeed, he pointed out, is already serving a 33-year sentence in Pakistan for terror financing. As for Azhar, he stated that Pakistan believes he is currently in Afghanistan and not within Pakistani territory.
Bilawal criticized India for refusing to provide key evidence or send witnesses required for legal prosecution in Pakistani courts. He emphasized that cross-border terrorism allegations must be supported by credible documentation, witness testimony, and legal cooperation — otherwise, prosecution becomes nearly impossible.
He also took aim at what he called India’s “new abnormal” approach to regional security — where any terrorist attack inside India is used as a justification for aggressive military action against Pakistan. Referring to the April 2025 Kashmir attack and the resulting four-day confrontation in May, he said the two nuclear-armed nations must avoid reducing the threshold for war.
Bilawal cautioned against placing the destiny of 1.7 billion people in the hands of “nameless, faceless non-state actors.” He called for greater responsibility from both nations and urged the Indian government to abandon the use of unverified accusations as pretexts for conflict.
He concluded by saying that Pakistan would fully cooperate on extradition matters, provided India shows transparency, respects due process, and brings forth real evidence. Without such cooperation, he warned, any progress in resolving long-standing disputes would remain stalled.