*ISLAMABAD:* Pakistan is prepared to hold comprehensive talks with India,including discussions on the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute, DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday.
Addressing journalists in Islamabad, Dar confirmed that the ceasefire alongthe Line of Control (LoC) remains intact between the two nuclear-armedneighbours. He revealed that the latest ceasefire arrangement, agreed on *May10*, came after a request from India conveyed through the United States.
“I received a call from the US for a ceasefire. I made it clear thatPakistan never wanted war,” Dar stated.
The Deputy Prime Minister clarified that Pakistan had not soughtthird-party mediation but expressed willingness to engage in talks if heldat a *neutral venue*.
“If it is a neutral location, we can proceed with talks,” he said.“Dialogue must include all outstanding matters, especially Kashmir.”
Dar also criticised what he termed India’s “unnecessary rhetoric,”stressing that sustainable peace in South Asia required a resolution of theKashmir dispute.Regional Diplomacy
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Expanding on Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in the region, Dar announced hewould leave for a *two-day visit to Bangladesh* later on Friday. He saidthe visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and fostering closerrelations between Islamabad and Dhaka.
“The aim is to bring Pakistan and Bangladesh closer,” Dar remarked.
The remarks mark Islamabad’s renewed emphasis on dialogue and diplomacyamid a delicate regional security environment.