Pakistan says it welcomes calls for dialogue emerging from India

Pakistan on Thursday said it welcomed growing voices within India advocating dialogue between the two neighbouring countries, stressing that constructive engagement and communication remain important for ensuring peace, stability, and shared prosperity in the region.

During the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi responded to remarks made by former Indian Army chief Gen (retd) Manoj Naravane, who supported RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale’s view that channels for dialogue with Pakistan should always remain open.

Reacting to those statements, Andrabi described such opinions as a “positive development” and expressed hope that reason and wisdom would prevail in India. He also noted that Pakistan would wait to see whether there would be any official response from the Indian government regarding these views.

When questioned about reports suggesting possible backchannel talks between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, Andrabi avoided directly addressing the speculation. He said that by nature, backchannel diplomacy remains confidential and therefore could not be publicly discussed.

India-Pakistan ties have remained strained since the April 2025 attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of involvement in the incident, though Islamabad rejected the allegations and demanded an impartial international investigation.

The tensions further escalated after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and carried out air strikes inside Pakistan on May 6. Pakistan later launched retaliatory military action, including aerial operations in which several Indian fighter jets were reportedly shot down. A ceasefire brokered by the United States eventually came into effect on May 10.

At the same briefing, Andrabi also dismissed media reports claiming that China had urged Pakistan to take a larger role in mediating between the United States and Iran.

Clarifying details of a recent phone conversation between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Andrabi said China had appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions. He added that Beijing fully supported Islamabad’s constructive mediation role.

According to Andrabi, some media reports had misinterpreted the conversation. He said the exchange between the two leaders took place in a warm and cordial atmosphere, reflecting the strong ties between the two countries.

Pakistan has recently remained actively engaged diplomatically amid growing tensions involving Washington and Tehran. Islamabad has maintained communication with several global and regional stakeholders, including Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Nations, in an attempt to prevent further escalation.

Separately, the Foreign Office confirmed that 10 Pakistani nationals aboard the seized oil tanker MT Honour 25 are still being held after Somali pirates hijacked the vessel near Puntland last month.

Andrabi said Pakistani diplomats had travelled to Mogadishu and met Somali authorities, who assured them that the crew members were safe and receiving food despite difficult circumstances.

He explained that negotiations for the crew’s release were currently taking place between the pirates and the ship owner, as governments generally avoid direct involvement in piracy-related ransom talks.

The Foreign Office added that Pakistan remains in regular contact with Somali officials and is treating the matter as an urgent humanitarian issue.