Pakistan ready for talks with India on ‘all issues,’ including Kashmir: Ishaq Dar

Pakistan FM Ishaq Dar

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed Islamabad’s willingness to engage in a comprehensive dialogue with India.

Speaking to reporters outside the Pakistani parliament in Islamabad, Dar stated that Pakistan is open to discussing all outstanding matters, including Kashmir. "Talks, whenever held, will be not just about Kashmir but on all issues," he said.

Dar’s remarks come as a renewed signal of Pakistan’s willingness to re-engage with India, following a similar statement he made in July.

He made a similar statement in July during an event hosted by the Atlantic Council, expressing Pakistan’s willingness to cooperate on various issues, including trade and counter-terrorism.

At the time, he also advocated for resuming the composite dialogue framework, which previously covered key bilateral topics such as Kashmir, terrorism, trade, and cultural exchanges.

Despite these overtures, India has maintained a firm and consistent position. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking in Parliament, made it clear that India would not engage in talks with nations that glorify terrorism. He condemned Pakistan for offering state funerals to terrorists, calling it a form of state-sponsored extremism.

“Dialogue is possible only with democratic and civilised nations, not those driven by hatred and religious extremism,” Singh said. He added, “The language of terrorism is fear, blood, and hate, not dialogue,” emphasizing that meaningful talks cannot take place while violence continues across the border.

Tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 civilians. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with precision strikes. The operation underscored India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and its proactive stance on national security.

Dar also claimed that the United States had reached out to him seeking a ceasefire following the operation. He maintained that Pakistan had not requested mediation but was open to talks at a neutral venue.

"I received a call from the US for a ceasefire," Dar said. "I had made it clear that Pakistan did not want a war."

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

However, from New Delhi’s perspective, the focus remains clear: any meaningful engagement must be predicated on an end to terrorism. India has consistently held that peace and dialogue cannot coexist with cross-border violence and the glorification of those who perpetrate it.