Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a wide-ranging press conference on Wednesday, highlighting Pakistan's recent diplomatic gains in the wake of escalating tensions with India.

He credited Pakistan’s coordinated international outreach for crushing India’s regional hegemony narrative and rallying global support for Islamabad’s position.

Global diplomatic drive

Dar outlined that the government’s high-level visits, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s trips to Turkiye, Iran, and Tajikistan, as well as Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's delegation to the US, the UK, and Brussels, were critical in countering Indian propaganda. The visit to China on May 19 was a continuation of the bilateral engagements.

“From April 22 to May 10, our diplomacy was timely, strategic, and successful. The narrative that India was portraying -- that they attacked Pakistan -- was a lie. Our narrative prevailed,” he said.

He revealed that Pakistan had extended an offer of an independent and transparent investigation into the recent Pahalgam incident — a move he claimed was welcomed by multiple friendly countries. "The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a positive statement the very next day. That was the result of our trusted bilateral relations,” Dar added.

India’s ‘lies and failures’ exposed

Rejecting India’s claims of shooting down Pakistani aircraft and launching successful strikes, Dar labelled New Delhi’s assertions as “pure propaganda.” “India tried to fool the world with tales of downed F-16s and destroyed bases. Not only were those lies exposed, but their regional standing has also been dismantled,” he said.

He further claimed that Indian efforts to isolate Pakistan diplomatically failed miserably. “There is mourning in India over our diplomatic success. Their dream of regional domination has been shattered,” Dar said. He noted that Pakistan’s diplomats, former foreign ministers, and ambassadors worked collectively to present the truth internationally.

Support from allies

Ishaq Dar stated that demonstrations in solidarity with Pakistan were held in Turkiye and Azerbaijan, adding that leaders from these and other Islamic countries expressed strong support for Pakistan’s stance. “The unity shown by our allies is not just friendship—it’s brotherhood,” he said.

He also pointed out that President Erdogan’s visit to Pakistan and the formation of a joint commission with Turkiye further cemented bilateral ties. “The commission met after six months, and fruitful progress was made in diplomacy and trade.”

CPEC expansion and regional cooperation

In a major regional development, Dar announced that China has agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Kabul at Pakistan’s request. “We have proposed the inclusion of the Peshawar-Kabul highway, and the framework has been prepared,” he said.

He revealed that Afghanistan expressed interest in accessing Central Asia through this corridor, and that Pakistan is keen on participating in the upcoming ECO summit to further promote regional connectivity.

Engagement with Russia, others

Responding to criticism about ignoring Russia, Dar clarified that Pakistan did not overlook Moscow. “Tariq Fatemi was appointed to handle that front due to his experience. He has held important and beneficial meetings with Russian officials,” he said.

Dar also revealed that agreements were reached with Iran, including mutual trade up to $10 billion and shared positions on regional peace and counter-terrorism.

Political unity and national security

In a rare show of political consensus, all Pakistani parties have reportedly agreed on a unified national security narrative. Dar said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) had prepared a single draft with input from all parties. “We showed the world that on national security, we are one nation.”

Victory for diplomacy, not war

Ishaq Dar emphasized that while Pakistan does not want war, it is fully prepared to defend itself. “We told the world that any aggression will be met with a crushing response. And we have proven that not just militarily, but diplomatically too.”

The deputy prime minister concluded by reaffirming that Pakistan’s efforts have been recognized globally. “The myth of India’s new normal has been buried. The world stands with Pakistan today.”