Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has endorsed former US President Donald Trump’s claim of playing a key role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan earlier this year. During a visit to Washington, Dar “appreciated” both Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their efforts in facilitating a ceasefire following heightened military activity between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
According to an official statement released by Pakistan’s Foreign Office following Dar’s meeting with Rubio on Friday, the minister “appreciated the pivotal role” of Trump and Rubio in de-escalating tensions between Pakistan and India by facilitating a ceasefire.
The statement aligns with Trump’s repeated public assertions that he helped prevent war between India and Pakistan after conflict erupted in May following India’s launch of Operation Sindoor. However, India has firmly denied these claims.
The US State Department also issued a statement following the Dar–Rubio meeting, though it notably did not mention India or the ceasefire.
Trump had claimed credit for brokering the ceasefire in a May 10 social media post, saying that his administration engaged in talks with both sides to prevent further escalation. India, however, disputes that US intervention led to the ceasefire.
According to Indian government sources, the ceasefire understanding followed a request from the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), who contacted his Indian counterpart on May 10 to propose a halt to hostilities.
India maintains that all issues between New Delhi and Islamabad must be resolved bilaterally, rejecting any third-party involvement.
Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7, was a retaliatory strike following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead. India targeted nine terror facilities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and across the border, after The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) front, claimed responsibility for the attack. TRF has since been declared a designated terror group by the US.
Hostilities between India and Pakistan escalated into missile and drone strikes across three days starting May 7. A ceasefire was eventually announced on May 10.
