Dar says Pakistan has buried India’s regional power hegemony narrative

LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar has said that the false narrative of Indian media and its government about the so-called hegemony and brandishing India “as net security provider of the region” was buried by Pakistan.

Addressing a presser in London at the conclusion of his official visit to the United Kingdom and broadcast on national TV channels, he said Pakistan had emerged victorious in its recent armed conflict with India sparked by uncalled Indian aggression.

“The Indian media and bureaucracy have acknowledged that their narrative proved unsuccessful. On the other hand, Pakistan’s narrative was based upon facts and truth which was acknowledged by the world,” he added. Dar said that after air superiority, Pakistan also settled scores with India on the ground.

He said Pakistan always stood for the respect, dignity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region and desired from others to do the same. Terming Indian leaders’ statements unfortunate, he advised them to accept the defeat and move forward, stressing that Pakistan had not asked anyone to broker a ceasefire, rather it was the Indian side that agreed to it and which was conveyed by US Secretary of State Rubio to him in the May conflict.

Dar, flanked by Pakistan High Commission to UK Dr Mohammad Faisal, said the government was committed to economic stability and prosperity, and its policies resulted in foreign reserves growth and inflation rates decline. “Pakistan will emerge stronger. Unity will take us forward, if we want Pakistan to get its due place among the comity of nations, and to join D-20,” he observed. He said that no one should tell Pakistan to hold talks on terrorism, as “we are the biggest victim of terrorism. “Pakistan has fought the global war of terrorism on the front foot and sacrificed 90,000 lives besides suffering colossal losses to the tune of $192 billion in the war,” he said. Dar also termed his bilateral and trilateral meetings with UK counterparts and authorities very productive in which all spectrums of the bilateral ties were discussed including the Kashmir dispute and climate change.