Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has emphasised the urgent need for regional powers to come together for a joint strategic approach towards lasting peace and stability. “For future strategy, we need to sit together,” he added.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, Ishaq Dar said this while briefing journalists in Islamabad on Thursday about his recent visit to China following Pakistan-India conflict.
He stressed the importance of regional cooperation and peaceful coexistence, highlighting that while neighbours cannot be changed, relationships with them must be managed through dialogue and diplomacy.
Taking aim at India’s foreign policy, Dar challenged the international community to identify a single neighbouring country that is content with India.
He remarked that India's strained relations across the region reflect its failure to maintain diplomatic balance. “Name one neighbour which is happy with India,” Dar asserted.
The foreign minister said that resolving issues between neighbours must be based on the principle that soil of no country should be used against another. He reiterated Pakistan's commitment to this principle as a foundation for peace.
Dar stated that Pakistan will not reach out to the international community to initiate dialogue with India. However, the door for negotiations remains open — but only when India demonstrates readiness.
Dar expressed a personal belief that the two neighbouring countries should reconcile but stressed that any such effort must be anchored in mutual respect and firm principles.
He also issued a clarification on a sensitive point: India did not provide any prior information to Pakistan before conducting a strike on its territory.
Defending Pakistan’s diplomatic transparency, Dar pointed out that had Pakistan not been confident in its conduct, it would never have offered an international probe into the Pahalgam incident.
He said that despite Pakistan’s call for an independent investigation, India refused the offer.
“All of India’s claims about Pahalgam turned out to be false,” Dar declared, reaffirming Pakistan’s position that truth and transparency must guide international discourse.
Ishaq Dar said they will get rid of the terrorists the way they did in the past as their days are now numbered. “India should stop supporting its proxies in Pakistan,” he added.
In a major announcement for Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan, Dar announced an extension of the Temporary Displaced Persons Registration (TDR) scheme until June 31.
Additionally, he unveiled a significant policy shift: transitioning the temporary registration into a “One Document Regime.” Under this framework, Afghan nationals will be granted a one-year visa against a fee of $100.
Ishaq Dar described his recent visit to China as “extraordinary” rather than routine, emphasising its strategic significance as high-level interactions took place with both the Communist Party of China and Chinese ministers.
Dar disclosed that the meetings in China were not limited to bilateral discussions but also included important trilateral engagements involving Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan.
Delegates included China’s additional secretary, Afghanistan’s additional secretary, and Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Sadiq Khan.
He said during his meetings in Beijing it was decided to allow Afghanistan to joint President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
He further noted that these discussions were follow-ups to key decisions made earlier on April 19 in Kabul, all of which have now been fully implemented.
The recent meetings, he added, delved deep into strategic matters, demonstrating high levels of mutual understanding.
Reporter Anwer Abbas