Pak Minister Admits India Refused Third-Party Role During Operation Sindoor

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Ishaq Dar acknowledged that India has never allowed any third-party mediation on matters between the two countries directly contradicting former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he had brokered a ceasefire in the wake of Operation Sindoor.

“India never agreed to any third-party mediation,” Dar said during the interview.

When asked whether negotiations were ongoing with India and if any third party was involved, Dar replied: “We don’t mind third-party involvement, but India has categorically stated it’s a bilateral matter. We don’t mind bilateral talks either, but the dialogue has to be comprehensive covering terrorism, trade, economy, Jammu and Kashmir, all subjects we have discussed earlier.”

He further said, “When I met Rubio on July 25 in Washington, I asked him what happened to the dialogue. He told me that India maintains it is a bilateral issue. If any country wants dialogue, we are happy. But it takes two to tango. Unless India wishes to have a dialogue, we can’t force it.”

Dar also recalled, “When the ceasefire offer came on May 10, Rubio told me that dialogue between India and Pakistan would happen soon at an independent location. But by July 25, when I asked him about it, he said India insists it is a bilateral issue.”