Pakistan Says Talks With India Must Be Meaningful, Not ‘Monologue’

Pakistan on Thursday reiterated that it remains open to talks with India but stressed that any engagement must be “meaningful” and based on mutual participation rather than a one-sided approach. The remarks came as Islamabad marked the first anniversary of the 2025 military confrontation with India, referred to in Pakistan as ‘Marka-e-Haq’ .

Speaking during a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan had “never shied away from dialogue with India on any issue” and blamed the absence of talks on New Delhi. “It takes two to dialogue, and for it to be meaningful, it must be a dialogue and not a monologue,” he said.

Andrabi reiterated Pakistan’s preference for dialogue and diplomacy , but warned that if any aggression was imposed again, Islamabad would respond with “full strength and all means available.” He added that Pakistan’s position was rooted in international law , the UN Charter and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The statements coincided with the anniversary of India’s Operation Sindoor , launched after the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India had carried out strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, triggering four days of intense military escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan’s military described the conflict as a “defining chapter” in its history and highlighted investments in advanced technologies and future combat capabilities. Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said war between “two nuclear neighbours” would be “madness,” adding that modern conflicts now extend into cyber and cognitive domains.