Dar hails Pakistan’s peace efforts, says ‘best days lie ahead’ as economy moves towards stability

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday hailed Pakistan’s constructive role in regional and global peace efforts, saying the country had immense potential and its “best days were ahead” as it pursued the path of high-growth sustainable development aimed at improving the quality of life of its people.

He made the remarks while addressing members of the Pakistani-American community at an Eid dinner hosted by the Consulate General of Pakistan in New York. The event brought together prominent leaders and professionals from the Pakistani-American community.

FM Dar said Pakistan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had demonstrated “maturity, credibility and unwavering commitment to international peace and stability”.

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“A nation that can defend itself with confidence is equally well positioned to pursue sincere and credible peacemaking efforts,” he said.

The deputy prime minister said Pakistan was a country with “immense potential” and its “best days lie ahead.”

He said the government had successfully guided the country through a period of significant economic challenges towards stability and was now focusing on high-growth sustainable development.

Highlighting economic indicators, Dar highlighted falling inflation, improving credit ratings, strengthening external account and growing investor confidence as signs of economic recovery.

He said the next phase of economic expansion would be export-led, adding that the government was actively pursuing an export-led growth model to generate foreign exchange, create employment opportunities and integrate Pakistan into global supply chains.

Reflecting on what he described as defining moments in the country’s history, Dar said the month of May held “special significance” for Pakistan.

He recalled that on May 28, 1998, under the leadership of then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan became a nuclear power, saying the move demonstrated the country’s “national resolve and capabilities.”

Dar also spoke about the events of May 2025, saying that the Pakistan Armed Forces, under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu and Admiral Naveed Ashraf, stood firm “in the face of Indian aggression” alongside the people of Pakistan.

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“The result has become an immortalized moment of national pride, worthy of recognition and celebration,” he said, while praising the resilience and unity displayed by the armed forces and the public.

Praising the Pakistani-American community, the Deputy Prime Minister described the diaspora as one of Pakistan’s “most formidable assets” in promoting advocacy, investment and people-to-people ties between Pakistan and the United States.

He urged overseas Pakistanis to “honor their roots by investing in Pakistan” and become partners in the country’s future progress.

In recent months, Pakistan has attracted international attention for its involvement in mediation efforts between Iran and the United States amid the Middle East crisis.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran. Tehran retaliated by striking Israel and other Gulf countries harboring U.S. assets.

Pakistan then positioned itself as a key peace broker, brokering a two-week ceasefire and hosting the highest-level U.S.-Iran talks since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Although the “Islamabad Talks” ended without a deal, the ceasefire was maintained and then extended at Islamabad’s request.

Since then, the two sides have exchanged proposals and counter-proposals in an effort to reach common ground and resume a second round of direct talks aimed at ending the conflict, which has already disrupted global energy supplies and daily life in the region.

After a series of exchanges of proposals, the United States and Iran are close to signing a 60-day ceasefire extension that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, allow Iran to resume oil sales and open a window for negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program. Axios reported, citing a U.S. official familiar with the proposed deal.

Under the draft memorandum of understanding, Iran would demine the Strait of Hormuz and allow ships to pass without tolls, according to Axios.

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In exchange, Washington would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and grant limited sanctions waivers allowing Tehran to freely sell its oil for 60 days.

However, what appeared to be a settled issue was plunged into uncertainty after the United States and Iran exchanged strikes on Thursday.

Iran targeted a US air base after Washington carried out strikes on what it described as an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, while President Donald Trump rejected a compromise deal with Tehran.