Islamabad:
Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar said on Friday that Pakistan was engaged in the ceasefire with India, urging the international community to facilitate a resolution of the long-standing dispute from cashmere.
In an address at the 32nd Regional Forum of Anase (ARF) in Kuala Lumpur, Dar strongly criticized India for having created regional tensions, in particular the situation in Jammu-et-Cachemire.
His speech highlighted unresolved disputes, cross -border hostilities and the suspension of India from the Industrial Water Treaty, warning that regional peace remains in danger without international attention and mediation.
DAR has described South Asia as a region plagued by sustainable security challenges, noting that the dispute from Jammu-et-Cachemire is “at the heart of regional instability”.
He reaffirmed the appeal of Pakistan to a peaceful resolution in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the wishes of the cashmere people.
Referring to an attack in Pahalgam on April 22, he said that India had blamed Pakistan without any evidence. He said Pakistan had proposed a impartial investigation on April 26, but India “had opted for the assault” instead, launching a strike not caused on May 7, causing civilian victims and infrastructure damage.
The Deputy Prime Minister defended the military response of Pakistan on May 7 and 10 as a calibrated and sober exercise of his right to self-defense under article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, targeting only military assets.
He said Pakistan’s response aimed to maintain sovereignty and further dissuade aggression, rejecting what he called “the so-called normal news” of India rooted in unilateralism and its impunity.
He also criticized India’s unilateral decision to contain the pending water Treaty, appealing to a violation of international law and a threat to millions of people depending on the Industry River system. “The Treaty does not contain any provision for unilateral action,” he said, urging the international community to take note of what he called a dangerous precedent.
Rewarding Pakistan’s commitment to the ceasefire with India, he expressed his appreciation for international partners who facilitated him and praised their offer to help resolve the cashmere dispute.
“More than a fifth of humanity lies in South Asia. Another cycle of conflict would be catastrophic for the region,” he warned.
Beyond regional tensions, the Deputy Prime Minister also responded to world concerns, including terrorism, the increase in Islamophobia, the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, Afghanistan, climate change and maritime security.
He said Pakistan had lost more than 80,000 lives and had undergone economic losses of more than $ 150 billion in the fight against terrorism, adopting a global approach which includes counter-radicalization, education reforms and intelligence coordination. However, he warned that the deep causes of terrorism such as poverty, injustice, occupation and denial of self -determination must also be addressed.
Dar expressed his concern about the instrumentalization of rhetoric against terrorism to stigmatize Muslim communities and denounce increasing Islamophobic policies. “Such stories erod fundamental rights and exacerbate radicalization.”
Turning to Afghanistan, he underlined the recent efforts of Pakistan to strengthen dialogue, including his April visit to Kabul and a trilateral meeting with China and Afghanistan in May. He urged the Afghan temporary government to prevent the use of its territory for terrorism against Pakistan.
In the Middle East, the minister welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel and reiterated Pakistan’s support for sovereignty and the law of Iran’s self-defense. He strongly condemned the current assault of Israel in the Palestinian territories, calling for immediate international action to put an end to the occupation and establish a sovereign Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as capital.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s diplomatic position on broader questions in Asia-Pacific, the Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed strong support for peace in the Southern China Sea and stressed the importance of solving disputes through diplomacy. He reiterated the support by Pakistan of the policy of China alone and recognized the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate authority on Taiwan.
By calling climate change as an existential threat, the minister noted Pakistan’s vulnerability to disasters such as floods and droughts. He urged developed countries to respect their commitments on climate funding and technology sharing, declaring that “climate justice requires global solidarity.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shafqat Ali Khan, during a weekly briefing, reacted strongly to the remarks of Indian adviser to national security Ajit Doval, who said that India had targeted 13 military bases in Pakistan and nine targets.
“The remarks of the Indian NSA are filled with distortions and false declarations. They reflect not only a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, but also violated the standards of the grave and the bankruptcy of the military aggression against a sovereign nation,” said the editorial specialist.
“Rather than resorting to fictitious stories, India should accept the drop in six hunting planes and serious damage to other military targets,” he added.
“In addition, it is a question of knowledge of the public that the so-called terrorist objectives attacked by India led to the death of civilians, including women and children. The glorification of conflicts does not benefit anyone. The path of lasting peace lies in dialogue, mutual respect and membership of international law”, according to the spokesperson.
