F.P. Report
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that a ceasefire at the military level is being maintained. He said India’s political leadership is unable to digest defeat and clarified that India neither can stop Pakistan’s water nor divert its flow.
Addressing a gathering of the Pakistani community in Kuala Lumpur, Dar expressed his delight at meeting overseas Pakistanis, calling each of them ambassadors of Pakistan. He emphasised the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Malaysia.
He said that Pakistan has taken off under difficult circumstances, completing an IMF program for the first time in its history. “By 2018, we had become the world’s 24th largest economy and were on track to join the G20 within a few years. But what happened in Pakistan afterward is well known,” he remarked.
Dar added that Pakistan dropped from being the 24th largest economy to the 47th. “By 2020, we were on the brink of default, but under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, default was averted.”
“Our goal is to bring Pakistan into the G20,” he asserted.
Dar noted that within the past 16 months, the policy rate has dropped from 22% to 11%, and inflation has decreased from 38% to single digits. Efforts toward economic recovery are ongoing day and night.
Speaking on regional tensions, the FM said India accused Pakistan of the Pahalgam false flag operation and closed the Attari border. “India violated the Indus Waters Treaty.”
He said the National Security Committee (NSC) decided to respond strongly to Indian aggression. “When India closed Attari, we closed Wagah. All Indian visas, except for Sikh pilgrims, were canceled, and we closed our airspace to Indian aircraft.”
“This time we did not let India’s narrative succeed,” he emphasised.
He pointed out that India also used falsehoods during the 2019 Pulwama attack. “Pakistan had no involvement in the Pahalgam incident. We demanded dialogue and a transparent investigation.”
Dar asserted that India cannot stop or divert Pakistan’s water and warned that such actions would be considered an act of war. “India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty without any international protocol.”
He rejected claims that Pakistan was diplomatically isolated. “Pakistan was elected as a member of the UN Security Council with a majority of 177 votes. It was Nawaz Sharif who conducted the 1998 nuclear tests — no one can now look at Pakistan with hostile intent.”
He said Pakistan exposed India’s false narratives. “Over 80,000 Pakistanis have been martyred in the fight against terrorism. Our vision is clear: we will eliminate terrorism from Pakistan for good. We cannot leave a terrorism-affected Pakistan for the next generation. India now stands isolated in the world.”
“India’s narrative has not gained global acceptance,” he stressed.
He claimed that Pakistan’s brave air force pilots shot down six Indian aircraft, including four Rafales. “India intentionally dropped two of its missiles in Sikh-populated areas, but their narrative did not gain international traction.”
Dar reiterated that the military-level ceasefire remains intact. “It seems India’s political leadership is unable to digest its defeat. They started the war, and it ended upon their own request.”
He concluded by saying, “Going to Kabul for tea and opening borders for terrorists caused us harm.”
