Pakistanโs Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has acknowledged that India never agreed to third-party mediation in ceasefire talks. He said the US had conveyed a ceasefire proposal, but India maintained that the matter should be handled bilaterally.
Inย a rare and first public acknowledgement, Pakistan’sย Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has admitted that India never accepted aย third-party mediation on disputes between the two countries, contradicting former US President Donald Trumpโs claim that he had been invited to mediate on Kashmir.
Dar said that when Islamabad raised Trump’s claim with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the American diplomat made it clear that New Delhiโs consistent position was that all matters with Pakistan are “strictly bilateral.” Dar made the remarks in an interaction on Al-Jazeera.
Trump on numerous occasions claimed that he mediated the India-Pakistan ceasefire, a claim categorically refuted by New Delhi. India has maintained that the truce came afeter DGMO-level takks between the two nations and any outstanding issues will be addressed bilaterally only.
Pakistan minister admits India’s stance
“We don’t mind third-party involvement, but India has categorically been stating it’s a bilateral matter. We don’t mind bilateral, but the dialogues have to be comprehensive,ย on terrorism, trade, economy, Jammu and Kashmir, all subjects that we have discussed earlier,”ย Dar said.ย ย
He further revealed that Washington had conveyed a ceasefire proposal in May, suggesting that India and Pakistan hold talks at a neutral venue. However, during a follow-up meeting with Rubio in Washington on July 25, Dar was informed that India had not agreed to the plan.
He said India has reiterated that it is aย bilateral matter and they areย not pleading for anything.
“India says it is a bilateral issue. We are not begging for anything. We are a peace-loving country, and we believe dialogue is the way forward; but it takes two to tango,”ย Dar said, reiterating that Pakistan remains open to engagement if India is willing.
India’s Operation Sindoor
Indiaโs Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, struck terror networks along the Line of Control and aimed to dismantle sleeper cells tied to cross-border militancy.
Pakistani authorities have repeatedly criticised the operation while stressing their readiness to keep the dialogue process with India open.
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