WASHINGTON: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari emphasised the need to strengthen public ties between Pakistan and the United States, asserting that religion is a unifying rather than a divisive force.
Speaking to the media after attending the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Bilawal described the event as an excellent opportunity for interfaith harmony.
He noted the presence of US President Donald Trump, who delivered a speech, and highlighted that people from across the world gathered at the event.
Bilawal himself addressed the closing ceremony, where he underscored the power of faith to bring people together. Reflecting on his own faith journey at the ceremony, Bilawal said: “Everybody has their own faith journey, and for me, and for many people, faith has to do with loss. The more you lose, the stronger your faith.”
He spoke about the tragedies his family endured, including the assassination of his grandfather, former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and the deaths of his uncles, Shahnawaz and Mir Murtaza Bhutto. He also recalled the tragic assassination of his mother, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in 2007, just weeks before she was scheduled to address the National Prayer Breakfast in 2008.
Bilawal further highlighted the role of religion in fostering unity rather than division, saying: “One thing I want to say to you here today as a man of faith, as a politician, is that religion is often used to divide us.
“But the great thing about faith, about God, about the Almighty, about religion, is that it’s not a force that divides us—it is a force that unites us, and never let anyone tell you otherwise.”
He also spoke about the universal message of Jesus and how his teachings are integral to both Christianity and Islam. “Jesus doesn’t just belong to the Christians. I learned about Jesus from my mother, who taught me about Jesus as he is in the Holy Quran and in Muslim teachings. Every single Muslim, no matter what you’re told, believes in Jesus,” he said.
During his visit, Bilawal also held meetings with members of Congress. However, since he is no longer the foreign minister, all these meetings were conducted in a personal capacity, he said.
The National Prayer Breakfast, hosted by newly-elected US President Donald Trump, was attended by high-ranking personalities from across the globe, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who was invited to the event. The gathering, held in Washington at 7am US time, continued for nearly seven hours until 2pm.
Bilawal arrived in the US on Monday to attend the event. Several National Prayer and Faith ceremonies are taking place in the US this week, featuring participation from President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. However, this marked the first time Bilawal attended a ceremony hosted by Trump.
Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity, Bilawal said: “I’m grateful to the National Prayer Breakfast, or rather, the International Prayer Breakfast, for providing us the chance to unite around our shared belief in Jesus.”
Asim Yasin adds: Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited the Middle East Institute in Washington and discussed important global issues around the world. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met former field director of the Library of Congress Michael Albin and RAND Corporation Senior Policy Research Researcher Jason H Campbell.
He also held a meeting with South Asia Center, Atlantic Council Non Resident Senior Fellow Javed Ahmed and Non Resident Scholar of the Middle East Institute Dr Syed Muhammad Ali.
He met Middle East Institute’s Systems and Operations Manager Emun Hearts and South Asia, Deputy Director of Stimson Center Sahar Khan. He also met with South Asian Affairs Specialist Dr K Alan Kronstadt.
Bilawal also held meetings with Center for A New American Security Indo-Pacific Security Program’s Research Assistant Kirthi Martin and Ambassador of Wilson Center’s Public Policy Fellow (R) William B. Melm.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met Senior Expert at the United States Institute of Peace South Asia, Dr Asfandyar Mir and Director of the Initiative at the Hudson Institute Dr Aparna Pandey. PPP chairman called on Center for Strategic and International Studies Project on Project and Development Non Resident Senior Associate Robin L Raphel and Middle East Institute Programs and Events Coordinator Mahin Safian.
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