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Ishaq Dar admitted Pakistan requested a ceasefire after Indian strikes in Operation Sindoor, denying US mediation claims by Donald Trump.
Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. (AP file photo)
Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has admitted that India categorically stated the conflict during Operation Sindoor was a bilateral issue between New Delhi and Islamabad and that it does not need any third party (the US) to intervene.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Dar said that India’s stance was reiterated to him during his bilateral talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in July.
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“When I met Secretary Rubio on July 25th in Washington, I had asked him about the status of dialogue between India and the US over the conflict. Rubio replied that India said that it is a bilateral issue,” he told the news outlet.
Last month, the Pakistani Minister also claimed that Islamabad never requested the United States or any third party to mediate amid the conflict.
While speaking to Pakistani media, Dar had admitted that Pakistan itself had asked for a ceasefire after suffering losses during the Indian offensive. “We did not ask the United States or any other country to arrange talks. The ceasefire request came from Pakistan,” he had said.
Dar’s remark comes as a fresh embarrassment for Washington as it contradicts repeated assertions by US President Donald Trump, who has claimed credit for brokering a truce between the two nuclear-armed countries. Dar’s admission also confirmed that Pakistan sought to halt the escalation after Indian strikes hit multiple strategic sites.
Immediately after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan on May 10, the US President rushed to social media, claiming success. Writing on Truth Social, he declared, “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. Congratulations to both countries.”
Since May, Trump has reiterated more than forty times that he personally prevented a “nuclear war” between India and Pakistan. He has continued to showcase the alleged mediation in meetings with European leaders and NATO officials, saying it is proof of his statesmanship.
However, India has consistently denied any third-party mediation emphasising that the decision to halt military actions was a result of direct communication between New Delhi and Islamabad and not linked to any trade discussions.
In the early hours of May 7, Indian Defence Forces launched precision strikes at nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under “Operation Sindoor” in response to the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
The strikes killed over 100 terrorists, including 10 family members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and four close aides.
The operation sparked four days of cross-border fighting involving fighter jets, missiles and artillery.
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
Islamabad, Pakistan
September 16, 2025, 18:07 IST
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