Ishaq Dar Rejects Trump Claim: Pakistan Never Agreed to Third-Party Mediation with India

London (The Uttam Hindu): Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday rebutted former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim about a third-party effort to halt hostilities between India and Pakistan. Dar said Islamabad has never accepted third-party mediation in disputes with India.

Dar stated that on May 10 at 8:17 AM, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (as per Dar’s account) informed him that talks between India and Pakistan at a neutral venue were expected soon. However, during a later meeting in Washington on July 25, Rubio told Dar that India had classified the issue as a bilateral matter and rejected any third-party role.

Dar emphasized that Pakistan remains a peace-loving nation and added that if India does not wish to engage in talks, Pakistan will not force the issue.