Islamabad, December 27, 2025: Recalling Pakistan’s military victory against India in May this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said the country must now shift its focus towards becoming an economic power, stressing that the government was pursuing a coordinated strategy for stability and growth.
Addressing a year-end news conference in Islamabad, Dar said Pakistan’s global standing had improved significantly and its voice was now being heard and acknowledged at international forums.
“We now have to make Pakistan an economic power,” he said.
He credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for sustained efforts to stabilise the economy, saying the government was working towards long-term financial stability. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is making continuous efforts to stabilise the country economically,” Dar added.
Welcoming the visit of the United Arab Emirates president to Pakistan, Dar described it as a positive development, noting that discussions focused on bilateral trade, investment, and the energy sector. He said Saudi Arabia had supported Pakistan in securing the International Monetary Fund programme, while China had deposited $4 billion and the UAE $3 billion in Pakistan.
Referring to recent tensions with India, Dar said Pakistan had shot down Indian aircraft during the hostilities. “We shot down seven Indian aircraft during the war,” he said, adding that Pakistan did not ask any country for a ceasefire.
He said that during the four-day conflict, India launched 80 drones over a 36-hour period, of which Pakistan shot down 79, while one drone struck a military installation, injuring one person.
Dar further revealed that the US secretary of state contacted him directly following Pakistan’s response to Indian aggression.
Highlighting economic engagement with Washington, Dar said trade with the United States had reached $13.28 billion and was currently in Pakistan’s favour. He also noted that the US had designated the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majid Brigade as global terrorist organisations this year, while counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries had increased.
Widening diplomatic outreach
On regional issues, Dar reiterated that durable peace in South Asia was not possible without resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and strongly criticised India’s demographic changes in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
He said Pakistan would engage Bangladesh in talks after its general elections scheduled for February next year.
Dar said Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach had expanded, pointing to renewed engagement with the European Union through a strategic dialogue in Brussels after a four-year gap and close coordination with China. Describing ties with Beijing as “ideal,” he said China was a highly reliable partner.
He recalled Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Pakistan in August, during which a trilateral meeting was held in Kabul for the first time. He also noted President Asif Ali Zardari’s multiple visits to China and his continued interest in strengthening bilateral ties.
On the Middle East, Dar highlighted the strategic mutual defence agreement signed with Saudi Arabia on September 17, covering cooperation in defence, energy, technology, and mining. He said Pakistan enjoyed strong relations with Turkiye, Iran, Gulf states, and Central Asian countries, adding that contacts with Iran had increased and Pakistan had condemned the June 13 attack on Iran.
He further said Pakistan maintained close ties with Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar, reflecting a balanced and broad-based foreign policy.
‘No plan to disarm Hamas’
Addressing the situation in Palestine, Dar clarified that Pakistan would not take any steps to disarm Hamas and would not send troops to Gaza for that purpose. He said the civil and military leadership were fully aligned on the issue.
His remarks came days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was grateful to Pakistan for its openness to considering a role in a proposed International Stabilisation Force for Gaza.
Dar strongly condemned Israel’s continued violations of the peace agreement, saying hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children, had been killed. “Israel is still breaching the agreement, and we are condemning it,” he said.
He also noted that eight Muslim countries, including five Arab states, had decided to work with the US for peace in Palestine, adding that all eight foreign ministers had issued a uniform statement on the matter.
