Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has said Pakistan never considered using nuclear weapons while recently defending aggression by India, describing Islamabad’s military strikes as “measured” and “strictly in self-defence”.
In his first interview since a ceasefire took hold on Saturday, FM Dar told CNN that the situation had grown dangerously volatile after India’s cross-border airstrikes on May 7, but denied Islamabad ever planned a nuclear response.
“We were very sure that our conventional ar-armed neighbours since the 1971 war.
Dozens of people were reported killed on both sides, while infrastructure was heavily damaged in contested border regions.
FM Dar referred to India’s actions as a “wishful attempt to establish its hegemony” in Kashmir.
He said Pakistan had “no choice” but to respond to what he called an unprovoked act of aggression.
The foreign minister also said that there was no direct contact between Indian and Pakistani officials during the talks.
Instead, communication was facilitated by Washington.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said earlier on Monday that New Delhi had only “paused” its offensive and warned of further retaliation if provoked.
FM Dar, however, rejected the suggestion that Pakistan had sought to de-escalate out of weakness.
“They had seen what happened in the sky.
They could see how serious the damage was,” he said.
He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s position that the conflict’s root cause lies in Kashmir.
“Kashmir is the root cause of this regional instability,” Dar said.
“Its future must be decided through self-determination.”
The foreign minister also raised concern over the water dispute linked to Kashmir’s rivers.
He warned that New Delhi’s reported decision to block flows from the Chenab river could be seen as “an act of war” if not reversed.
