KUALA LUMPUR/ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Ishaq Dar has said the military-to-military ceasefire between Pakistan and India is holding steady, however, it appears that the latter’s political leadership is not coming to terms with the recent defeat.
“Pakistan-India military-to-military ceasefire is working fine, but India’s political leadership is unable to digest it,” said the DPM, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, while speaking during an event hosted by the Pakistan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
FM Dar, who is in Kuala Lumpur for the 32nd Ministerial Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), slammed India for suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and called the step as strange move. “India cannot stop or divert Pakistan’s water… New Delhi is facing growing isolation globally,” he said. India is becoming isolated on the international stage due to its aggressive policies, he added.
Recalling Pakistan’s swift response to Indian action during the conflict, Dar said the PAF shot down six Indian planes including four Rafales. He said that during the recent tensions, India had intentionally targeted Sikh-populated areas with missile strikes. The deputy prime minister went on to say that India started the war and ended it by asking for a ceasefire. “At 8:15 in the morning, [the] US secretary of state called and said India wants a ceasefire,” he recalled.
On Pakistan’s economic outlook, Dar said the country had taken off despite tough conditions. Pakistan has made an economic take-off and now our goal is to get the country included in the G20, he added.
Earlier in the day, Ishaq Dar called on Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting. He conveyed warm wishes from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties with Malaysia. He also appreciated Malaysia’s leadership as ASEAN Chair for the year 2025. The Malaysian prime minister reciprocated the warm sentiments and said he looked forward to the visit of PM Shehbaz Sharif this year in October.
Dar thanked PM Ibrahim for the warm hospitality and impressive arrangements at the ASEAN meeting. He also appreciated the practical steps taken by the Malaysian side for promotion of trade and investment between the two countries following the visit of PM Anwar Ibrahim to Pakistan in October last year. Separately, Pakistan on Friday ridiculed the continuous Indian narrative regarding the May 7 attacks against Pakistan, and explained that boasting of military aggression against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law.
Responding to remarks by Indian NSA Ajit Doval, who claimed in Madras that India attacked 13 air bases in Pakistan, and did not miss any of its nine targets on Pakistan, the spokesperson at the Foreign Office said these remarks “are replete with distortions and misrepresentations”.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing, he said, “The remarks not only reflect a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft. Boasting of military aggression against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law. Rather than resorting to fictitious narratives, India should accept the downing of six fighter jets and severe damages to other military targets”.
He pointed out that besides, it was a matter of public knowledge that the so-called terrorist targets attacked by India resulted actually in the death of civilians, including women and children.
“Glorification of conflict benefits no one. The path of a lasting peace lies in dialogue, mutual respect and adherence to international law,” he added.
To another query, the spokesman pointed out that Indian involvement in sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan is very clear, and the international community is now becoming more aware of it. “Initially, the Indian state sponsored terrorism was targeting Pakistan, but we have seen that in the recent past, it has gone global. If this Indian malign approach is not checked, we have seen the consequences of that. India has tried to orchestrate a global assassination campaign, trying to kill people in Canada, the US and other countries,” he said.
In this context, he pointed out that in terms of its sponsoring terrorism inside Pakistan, “We maintain interaction with important friends and partners in the international community. We keep sharing our perspective, our evidence, which we obtain, and keep highlighting what India is doing in the region to destabilise it.”
Turning to Afghanistan, the spokesperson said that during additional secretary-level talks between the two countries, the issue of infiltration had been highlighted just as in the past.
“We stay engaged with the Afghan authorities and approach dialogue with good faith. In good faith we try to engage Afghanistan and develop friendly, brotherly, neighbourly relations. But the core point flagged remains sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists inside the Afghan territory. Discussions on the issue are an ongoing process and we continue to raise this issue. We hope Afghan side will take up our concerns with more seriousness and greater responsibility,” he said.
Speaking on the arbitration decision, which Pakistan won at the International Court, he said that it amounted to legitimising Pakistan’s position. “An important international legal forum has clearly ruled, basically upheld our position on Indus Waters Treaty. We have articulated our overall position on this important issue on several occasions. This is about the survival of 250 million people. This is not a trifling matter. And our red lines are very clear. We will not allow our water to be diverted. This is what I can say at this point in time. Finally, the International Court of Arbitration decision, delegitimises India’s position,” he added.
The 94th ‘Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir’ (Kashmir Martyrs Day) will be observed on July 13, 2025 to remember the martyrdom of 22 Kashmiris, who sacrificed their lives in Srinagar in 1931 while braving the indiscriminate firing of Dogra forces of the erstwhile ‘Maharaja’ of Jammu and Kashmir. “We salute their courage and bravery, which ignited a valiant struggle for the Kashmiri peoples’ fundamental rights and freedoms,” said the spokesperson.
“Earlier this week, the ninth anniversary of extrajudicial killing of the Kashmiri youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, was observed. Wani was one of the hundreds of Kashmiri youth, who have been victims of extra-judicial killings. So, we once again urge the Government of India to bring an end to extra-judicial killings and desist from indiscriminate use of force against the Kashmiri people,” he added.