Is Pakistan Lying or Really Ready to De-Escalate? Foreign Minister Signals Conditional Step-Down
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Signals Conditional De-escalation Amid Ongoing Conflict
On May 10, 2025, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar stated that Pakistan would consider de-escalating tensions with India if New Delhi halts further attacks.
Speaking to Geo News, Dar emphasized that Pakistan’s military is currently operating defensively, taking “minimum action” in response to India’s strikes, but warned that any additional Indian aggression would prompt retaliation.
“If India launches any further strikes, our response will follow,” he asserted, accusing India of staging a “tamasha” (circus) over the past three days.
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Dar’s remarks followed over 12 hours of mutual missile and drone attacks, including Pakistan’s claim that India targeted three of its air bases, notably Nur Khan Air Base, on May 10.
He described Pakistan’s actions as proportionate, driven by India’s Operation Sindoor on May 7, which struck terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Pakistan’s drone assaults on 26 Indian locations on May 9, targeting key installations, were thwarted by India’s defense systems.
Information Minister Atta Tarar echoed Dar, telling BBC that de-escalation lies in India’s hands, noting Pakistani troop deployments as a response to India’s actions.
Meanwhile, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri labeled Pakistan’s moves as “provocative” and “escalatory,” accusing Islamabad of targeting civilians in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Amid global calls for restraint, including from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the conditional offer from Pakistan underscores the fragile path to peace.
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