Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that Pakistan must move forward by forming blocs with Afghanistan, China, and Bangladesh.
In his address at the All Pakistan Chambers Presidents' Conference, Dar said: "The battle for justice in the skies was the largest of its kind, lasting more than an hour. The previous record for such a battle had been thirty minutes."
"For several years, it had been claimed that Pakistan was not a significant country, and the impression was being given that India was a powerful nation, with the world looking to it. However, no new norms were established, and now the world is looking towards Pakistan," Dar said.
He said that Pakistan has always advocated for peace. Referring to the Pahalgam attack, he said: "India had accused Pakistan without evidence. Following this, India began taking unilateral actions against Pakistan, including propaganda after the Pulwama incident."
"After the Pahalgam attack, India had terminated the Indus Waters Treaty and attempted to assert dominance. In response, Pakistan closed its airspace, drawing global attention to the matter," Dar said.
Dar reiterated that Pakistan’s stance had been clear: they would not initiate hostilities. "This time, however, we decided to respond to the enemy's actions with strength. India deliberately fired missiles into the Sikh region, attempting to make it appear as though Pakistan had attacked. When India launched missiles at Pakistani cities, Pakistan’s patience was exhausted."
"Several countries urged restraint in retaliatory actions, but when the attack occurred on the Nur Khan Airbase, Pakistan had no choice but to respond," he said.
The deputy prime minister said that he had received a call early in the morning informing him that India sought a ceasefire.
He expressed confidence that the country can and will progress, with collective efforts being essential.
Referring to recent tensions with Afghanistan, he said that relations had been cold for some years, but he had visited Afghanistan, where he met with the entire leadership. "My recent visit to China included a second meeting with Afghan officials," he said.
