In the wake of recent hostilities between India and Pakistan, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has expressed Islamabad’s readiness to engage with New Delhi and international partners to address terrorism. The statement comes after a fragile ceasefire, brokered by the United States, halted a series of retaliatory strikes between the two nations.
The conflict escalated following an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, primarily tourists. India attributed the attack to Pakistan-based militants, a claim that Islamabad has consistently denied. In response, India launched missile strikes targeting what it described as “terrorist camps” in Pakistan’s Azad Kashmir and Punjab regions. Pakistan carried out its own strikes and shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliation.
Speaking to BBC News Hindi, Dar emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to combating terrorism, highlighting the nation’s loss of approximately 90,000 lives due to militant attacks. “We have to work together to tackle the issue of terrorism,” he said, implying that cooperation with India and other international allies is crucial.
The Kashmir region remains a central point of contention between the two countries, both of which claim the territory in full but administer separate parts. While India accuses Pakistan of supporting separatist militants in Kashmir, Pakistan maintains that it offers only moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people.
Dar’s call for cooperation underscores the importance of diplomatic engagement and international collaboration in addressing longstanding security challenges in South Asia.
