Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday dismissed India’s recent accusations against Pakistan as unfounded, stating that the global community has recognized these claims as baseless.
Speaking to the media at the airport before embarking on a three-day official visit to China, Dar emphasized that India’s “blame game” has been exposed internationally. He is scheduled to visit China from May 19 to 21 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss regional developments in South Asia, bilateral relations, and issues affecting peace and stability.
Read more: Deputy PM Ishaq Dar to Visit China for Strategic Talks
Dar highlighted Pakistan’s recent diplomatic efforts, revealing that Islamabad has engaged with officials from over 60 countries to clarify its position amid rising tensions.
He described China as Pakistan’s “iron friend” and stressed that the visit aims to reinforce the “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” between the two nations. Alongside bilateral matters, Dar plans to address the ongoing conflict with India and other global issues, reinforcing the close diplomatic cooperation between Pakistan and China.
Earlier, Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to peace and regional stability, stating that Pakistan did not initiate recent hostilities with India. He noted that friendly countries are working to de-escalate tensions and that Pakistan has consistently denied launching attacks on Indian military installations, a position confirmed by a European nation.
Dar also criticized India for failing to provide evidence regarding the Pahalgam incident and accused it of using the Pulwama attack as a pretext for aggression. He refuted India’s claim of shooting down a Pakistani F-16, clarifying that no such aircraft were involved.
Dar further noted that although India deployed 70 to 80 fighter jets, Pakistan only responded after an Indian attack involving six jets, all of which were subsequently shot down.
