Pakistan has renewed interest in a “composite dialogue” with India to discuss all outstanding issues between the two South Asian countries that engaged in a deadly conflict from May 7 to 10. Pakistani leader
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar revealed that while military-to-military communications between the two nuclear-armed rivals were taking place, there was no contact on the political side.
A political dialogue, Dar said, will ultimately have to take place to resolve the problems between the two countries.
Dar spoke after a meeting with U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington and a series of multilateral discussions at the UN Headquarters.
He was responding to a question when asked about any follow up on Rubio’s statement on May 10 that India and Pakistan have agreed to hold talks at a “neutral site” following a period of escalating tensions.
President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two countries on May 10 and afterwards said the conflict could have gone nuclear.
Speaking at a Press Conference in New York, the Pakistani deputy prime minister said his meeting with the top U.S. diplomat took place in a cordial atmosphere and that they discussed a wide range of issues.
About Pakistan’s position about peace in South Asia, Dar noted emphatically that without a resolution of the Kashmir dispute, in accordance with United Nations resolutions, there will no durable peace in the region.
Indian leader questions New Delhi’s claim that Pahalgam attackers came from Pakistan
In an indication of persisting tensions, Dar said Pakistan remains alert and keeping a close watch on the situation.
Pakistan is ready for dialogue with India, Dar said, adding that Pakistan seeks a composite dialogue that includes Kashmir as well as other issues, including Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), he said.
The World Bank-facilitated treaty, he said, could not be unilaterally suspended.
New Delhi suspended the treaty on April 23, 2025; one day after the Pahalgam incident in Indian-Occupied Kashmir as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government pointed a finger at Pakistan for the attack without providing any evidence of the attackers’ alleged link to the country.
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India continues to link the Pahalgam attackers to Pakistan-based banned militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba but Islamabad says it has provided no evidence whatsoever to back its allegation.
Meanwhile, a prominent leader of India’s opposition Congress party has also question New Delhi’s claim that the perpetrators of Pahalgam terror attack came from Pakistan.
Pakistan firmly denied any involvement in the attack and offered to be part of an impartial international investigation. Amid flaring tensions, India attacked Pakistan on May 7 but faced embarrassment as it lost several warplanes.
In an indication of persisting tensions, Dar said Pakistan remains alert and keeping a close watch on the situation.
Islamabad has said if India blocks Pakistan’s strategic waters, it will be considered an act of war, since millions depend on these waters for agriculture and therefore food security is directly linked with uninterrupted water flows.
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Iftikhar Ali is a veteran Pakistani journalist, former president of UN Correspondents Association, and a recipient of the Pride of Performance civil award
