Dar praises Pakistan’s peace efforts, says ‘country’s best days are ahead’ as economy moves toward stability

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday praised Pakistan’s constructive role in regional and global peace efforts, saying the country had immense potential and its “best days are ahead” as it pursues a high-growth, sustainable development path aimed at improving the quality of life of its people.

He made these remarks while addressing members of the Pakistani-American community at an Eid dinner hosted by the Consulate General of Pakistan in New York. The event was attended by prominent leaders and professionals of the Pakistani-American community.

Foreign Minister Dar said Pakistan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had demonstrated “maturity, credibility and firm commitment to international peace and stability”.

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“A nation capable of defending itself with confidence is equally well positioned to carry out sincere peace efforts with credibility,” he said.

The deputy prime minister said Pakistan was a country of “immense potential” and its “best days are yet to come.”

He said the government had successfully guided the country through a period of significant economic challenges towards stability and was now focused on high-growth, sustainable development.

Highlighting economic indicators, Dar pointed to declining inflation, improving credit ratings, strengthening external account and growing investor confidence as signs of economic recovery.

He said the next phase of economic expansion would be export-led, adding that the government was actively pursuing an export-led growth model to generate foreign exchange, create employment opportunities and integrate Pakistan into global supply chains.

Reflecting on what he described as defining moments in the country’s history, Dar said the month of May had “special meaning” for Pakistan.

He recalled that on May 28, 1998, under then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan became a nuclear power, saying the move demonstrated the country’s “resolve and national capability.”

Dar also referred to the events of May 2025, stating that Pakistan’s armed forces, under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu and Admiral Naveed Ashraf, had stood firm “in the face of Indian aggression” alongside the people of Pakistan.

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“The result became an immortalized moment of national pride, which deserves to be recognized and celebrated,” he said, while praising the resilience and unity shown by the armed forces and the public.

Praising the Pakistani-American community, the deputy prime minister described the diaspora as one of Pakistan’s “most formidable assets” in promoting advocacy, investment and people-to-people ties between Pakistan and the United States.

He urged overseas Pakistanis to “honor their roots by investing in Pakistan” and become partners in the country’s future progress.

In recent months, Pakistan has attracted international attention for its involvement in mediation efforts between Iran and the United States amid the Middle East crisis.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran. Tehran retaliated with attacks on Israel and other Gulf countries hosting American assets.

Pakistan subsequently positioned itself as a key mediator for peace, negotiating a two-week ceasefire and hosting the highest-level talks between the United States and Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Although the “Islamabad Talks” ended without an agreement, the ceasefire was held and later extended at Islamabad’s request.

Since then, the two sides have been exchanging proposals and counterproposals in an effort to reach a middle ground and resume a second round of direct talks aimed at ending the conflict, which has already disrupted global energy supplies and daily life across the region.

After a series of exchanges of proposals, the United States and Iran are close to signing a 60-day ceasefire extension that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, allow Iran to resume oil sales and create a window for negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program. axios reported, citing a US official familiar with the draft agreement.

Under the draft memorandum of understanding, Iran would clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz and allow ships to pass through without tolls, according to axios.

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In exchange, Washington would lift its blockade of Iranian ports and issue limited sanctions waivers that would allow Tehran to sell oil freely for 60 days.

However, what seemed like a resolved issue was plunged into uncertainty after the United States and Iran traded attacks on Thursday.

Iran attacked a US air base after Washington carried out strikes against what it described as an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, while President Donald Trump rejected a compromise deal with Tehran.