In a major revelation that undermines US President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has admitted that India firmly rejected any third-party mediation, insisting the matter was strictly bilateral. Dar’s comments, made during an interview with Al Jazeera on September 16, 2025, in Doha, Qatar, mark a rare public acknowledgment from Islamabad that aligns with India’s long-standing position, effectively debunking Trump’s claims made over 30 times since May 10, 2025.
Trump has consistently credited himself and the US with mediating the truce that halted the brief but intense 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, even suggesting it averted a potential nuclear escalation and boasting that Pakistan would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. However, India has repeatedly dismissed these assertions as “bizarre” and “unfair,” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly informing Trump during a June 2025 phone call that no US involvement occurred and that the ceasefire was negotiated solely through direct military channels between the two nations’ Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), initiated at Pakistan’s request.
Dar recounted a conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a bilateral meeting in Washington on July 25, 2025, where he inquired about promised dialogues. Rubio reportedly replied that India had “categorically” stated the issue was bilateral and rejected any external role. “India has denied third-party mediation… they say it’s a bilateral issue,” Dar stated, adding that Pakistan remains open to dialogue but believes “it takes two to tango.” This admission contradicts Trump’s narrative, which portrayed the US as pivotal in urging the nuclear-armed neighbors to prioritize trade over war.
Background of Operation Sindoor and the Ceasefire
Operation Sindoor was launched by India on May 7, 2025, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians—mostly tourists—were killed by Pakistan-backed militants. The precision strikes targeted nine terrorist facilities linked to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including JeM’s headquarters in Bahawalpur. India reported destroying key terror infrastructure, while Pakistan denied significant damage but acknowledged casualties among militants.
The four-day conflict escalated with cross-border exchanges, but a ceasefire was announced on May 10, 2025, following Pakistan’s direct plea via DGMO channels. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized that India views terrorism not as proxy warfare but as “war itself,” and the operation remains ongoing in spirit against cross-border threats. Modi reiterated to Trump that India’s actions were “measured, precise, and non-escalatory,” targeting only terror camps and hideouts.
Implications of Pakistan’s Admission
Dar’s statement is seen as an embarrassment for the Trump administration, especially after Trump hosted Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir at the White House in June 2025 and continued to claim credit despite Indian denials. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading an all-party delegation to Washington in June, also firmly rejected US mediation. Analysts note that this exposes an imbalance in US South Asia policy, potentially straining India-US ties if Trump persists with such claims, particularly on sensitive issues like Kashmir.
Pakistan’s clarification also highlights its own reluctance to involve third parties initially, though it later credited Trump diplomatically. With the conflict unifying Pakistani politics domestically and giving Islamabad a perceived edge in international narratives, Dar’s remarks underscore India’s firm “no mediation” policy, a stance upheld across political lines in New Delhi. As tensions simmer, both nations continue to monitor cross-border activities, with India warning of stronger responses to future aggression.
