Using nukes against India was never an option, says Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that Pakistan never considered using nuclear weapons during the recent clashes with India, despite the worst fighting in decades between the two rivals.

In an interview with CNN, his first since the US-brokered ceasefire on Saturday, Dar said Pakistan had “no choice” but to respond to India’s May 7 strikes with defensive action.

He dismissed any nuclear intentions, saying, “Our conventional capabilities are strong enough to beat them in the air and on the ground.”

The weeklong conflict saw deadly tit-for-tat attacks, heightening fears of a broader war. Dar described India’s actions as “a war” and a failed “hegemonic attempt” over the Kashmir region, which remains the central flashpoint.

Read more: India PM Modi warns Pakistan of more strikes if there is a ‘terrorist attack’

The ceasefire was reached with Washington’s help. According to Dar, there was no direct communication between Islamabad and New Delhi. Instead, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed India’s readiness to halt strikes.

Ishaq Dar confirmed that Islamabad is open to further talks but added, “Negotiations are not over yet. We hope sanity will prevail.”

He stressed the importance of resolving Kashmir’s future through self-determination and identified the region as the core cause of regional instability.

Dar also denied Pakistan’s involvement in last month’s deadly rampage, saying the country opposes terrorism “in all forms and manifestations.”

On US-Pakistan ties, Dar said President Donald Trump’s recent comments on Kashmir showed support for Pakistan’s efforts. “If they didn’t believe in us, they wouldn’t have helped the way they did,” he told CNN.

However, Dar warned the fragile truce could unravel if India doesn’t address the long-standing water dispute. He called New Delhi’s recent move to block three major rivers flowing from Kashmir “an act of war.”

Indian media had reported that New Delhi cut water from the Baglihar Dam, stopping Chenab River flows into Pakistan. Dar said this issue must be resolved in the upcoming talks or risk further escalation.