RNS: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has asserted that India firmly rejected any third-party mediation during Operation Sindoor, challenging former US President Donald Trump’s claims of a US-brokered ceasefire.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Dar said that when the US suggested dialogue in May through Secretary Rubio, India refused, insisting the matter was strictly bilateral. “When we met in July, Secretary Rubio told me India maintained it’s a bilateral issue,” Dar explained.
Trump Claims vs Reality
Pak FM Ishaq Dar admits India never accepted any 3rd party mediation. 🇮🇳
Even when Pakistan approached the US, Secretary Marco Rubio confirmed India’s stand — it’s a bilateral issue only.
Yet Rahul Gandhi & INDI Alliance keep peddling lies against PM Modi. pic.twitter.com/rEcWVx83Kj
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) September 16, 2025
Trump had earlier credited US diplomacy for preventing a potential “nuclear war” after India carried out precision strikes on nine terrorist targets in Pakistan and PoK, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Trump repeatedly claimed the ceasefire came through his intervention.
India, however, has consistently denied third-party involvement, stating the truce was achieved through direct military-to-military communication between the DGMO offices. PM Modi had also told Trump that India would never accept mediation in its ties with Pakistan.
Dar reiterated Pakistan’s willingness for comprehensive talks covering terrorism, trade, the economy, and Jammu & Kashmir but stressed dialogue requires mutual consent. “We are not begging for engagement. It takes two to tango,” he said, emphasizing Islamabad’s readiness but noting New Delhi’s consistent stance on bilateral-only discussions.
