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Ceasefire could collapse if Indus Waters dispute is not resolved—Pakistan dy PM Ishaq Dar

In interview to CNN, Dar said India's strikes were a 'wishful attempt to establish hegemony', and use of nuclear weapons in last week’s conflict 'was never on the table'.

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New Delhi: Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Monday suggested in an interview to CNN that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan could be threatened if the “water issue is not resolved”, referring to India’s decision to hold the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, following the Pahalgam terror attack.

In his first interview following Saturday’s ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, Dar described India’s IWT decision as a “provocation” that, if left unaddressed, “will amount to an act of war”.

“There are certain times when you have to make very serious decisions. Now, we have to take the process forward in an honourable manner with dignity and resolve in a composite manner. We have already said that holding the IWT is considered an act of war,” he said. “We still believe that reason will prevail.”

Dar further described India’s strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor as “war” and a “wishful attempt to establish hegemony” in the region. However, he emphasised that the use of nuclear weapons in last week’s conflict “was never on the table”.

“We were confident that our conventional strength—both in the air and on the ground—was more than sufficient to respond decisively,” he said, adding that comprehensive and long-term negotiations between the two countries “have not yet taken place”.

Dar also claimed that there was no direct communication between Indian and Pakistani officials. Instead, he said, the message that “India is ready to stop” was relayed through US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“After having seen our escalation, rather counter-escalation, in defence, certain capitals, particularly the US, realised it could be really filthy next moves. On 10 May, our operation had ended and Marco Rubio said India is ready to stop it now. Would you be willing? I said of course, I give you my word and if India does not restart, we would not do it,” Dar said.

Asked what prompted the sudden ceasefire agreement, Dar told CNN: “It’s in everyone’s interest not to delay or drag out such issues beyond a reasonable time frame. The Indians had seen what happened in the sky. They understood the seriousness of the damage.”

PM Narendra Modi in his national address Monday evening said that India had “only paused” the “responsive attack on Pakistan’s terror and military hubs”. “Operation Sindoor has drawn a new line in the fight against terrorism—this marks a new phase, a new normal. If there is a terror attack on India, we will respond with a jaw-breaking reply,” he said. “India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail.”

Modi claimed that the intensity of India’s strikes forced Pakistan to seek a ceasefire. “They (Pakistan) were calling on the world to help reduce tensions after being completely devastated,” he told the nation.

(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)


Also Read: India has only pressed the pause button on Pakistan. It needs serious behavioural change


 

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1 COMMENT

  1. If FO Mr. Dar is correct that India iniatated the peace move and there was no threat of Pakistan using the Nuclear bomb then it simply implies that JD Vance is incorrect when he started that “something big is going– and ramp off suggestion” who a day earlier had said,we are not interested in Ind Pak war.

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