The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday took a jibe at a comment by Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar on normalizing bilateral relations with India. He noted that better relations would require mutual willingness, adding that “it takes two to tango.”
Countering Dar’s comment, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The relevant ‘T’ word there is ‘terrorism’ and not ‘tango’. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, had told media on Thursday, “It takes two to tango,” signaling that diplomatic progress demands efforts from both sides.
Dar also pointed out Pakistan’s foreign policy under the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, which came to power in March last year. He declared his visit to Bangladesh scheduled for next month, in an attempt to fortify ties with neighboring countries.
“Bangladesh is like a lost brother. Our intention is to encourage economic and trade cooperation,” he said, adding that he was solicited by Bangladesh’s chief adviser, Muhamad Yunus, during a meeting in Cairo recently.
“When we assumed office, there was a belief in diplomatic isolation. However, by expanding our diplomatic reach and engaging with regional neighbors, this presumption has changed,” Dar stated.
Dar also highlighted Pakistan’s aspiration to improve their relations with Kabul but admitted that terrorism remains a prevalent challenge. He accused former intelligence chief Gen. Faiz Hameed of engaging in talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and emphasized that recent visits to Kabul were rescheduled due to ongoing terrorist attacks.
Pakistan has experienced a burst in terrorist activities since the Afghan Taliban came to power in 2021 and has requested Kabul to prevent militant groups from using Afghan soil to target Pakistan.
Dar also declared progress in Pakistan’s nuclear energy sector, launching the Chashma 5 (C-5) nuclear power project. Settled with China in 2023, this follows the completion of the K2 and K3 nuclear projects.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch rejected rumors about the military use of Gwadar port, clarifying it as a key development project supported by China. “Gwadar port is for Pakistan’s development, built with the support of China,” she explained during her final briefing.
