Pakistan did not request ceasefire, responded firmly to Indian aggression: Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the upper house of the Parliament on Thursday that Pakistan did not request a ceasefire during the recent escalation with India.

Instead, Dar said, it [ceasefire] was initiated following a call from the U.S. Secretary of State, who conveyed that India was willing to halt hostilities.

Speaking in the Senate session chaired by Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, he said the ceasefire took effect after Pakistan confirmed its readiness to stop military actions, with subsequent calls from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and China reinforcing diplomatic efforts.

Dar emphasized that Pakistan had exercised restraint and communicated this to all friendly nations even before the outbreak of hostilities.

He stated, “We told our friends we would not initiate an attack, but we would certainly respond if provoked.”

Dar reiterated that Pakistan’s response was measured, decisive, and in line with international norms.

The foreign minister revealed that the recent conflict began after the Pahalgam incident, which India immediately blamed Pakistan, despite offering no concrete evidence—much like the earlier Pulwama incident.

“We offered a transparent and neutral investigation into the Pahalgam attack, but India refused,” said Dar, adding that Pakistan ensured India’s narrative did not dominate the international discourse this time.

He said, on May 7, 70–80 Indian aircraft violated Pakistani airspace, releasing 24 payloads that struck civilian areas, including mosques. Pakistan retaliated, downing six Indian jets, including Rafale, without losing a single aircraft.

Dar stated that India attempted to stoke tensions among the Sikh community by bombing their areas and falsely blaming Pakistan.

He said Pakistan’s response included destroying 80 Indian drones, of which only one had inflicted injuries on Pakistani forces.

He concluded that while Pakistan remains committed to peace, it has demonstrated that any act of aggression will be met with a firm and proportionate response.