Pakistan’s active diplomacy to de-escalate Middle East tensions; continuous contacts with global leadership

ISLAMABAD (Rizwan Abbasi): Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tahir Hussain Andrabi, has said that Pakistan is actively pursuing diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East and promote peace in the region, maintaining continuous contacts with regional and global leadership.

During the weekly media briefing in Islamabad, Tahir Hussain Andrabi stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar remain in constant contact with leaders of various countries regarding the evolving regional situation.

He noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently held a telephone conversation with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, during which he condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia and appreciated the Saudi leadership’s restraint.

According to the spokesperson, the Prime Minister also contacted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, while Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held important diplomatic consultations with the foreign ministers of Norway, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Egypt, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Iran regarding the regional situation. He added that Ishaq Dar also paid an important visit to Saudi Arabia on March 18, where consultations were held on regional developments.

The spokesperson further stated that Pakistan has strongly raised its voice globally against Islamophobia, and due to Pakistan’s efforts the United Nations declared March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. He also strongly condemned India’s continued closure of the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, stating that the mosque has remained shut for the past seven years.

Tahir Hussain Andrabi strongly condemned the Indian court’s decision sentencing Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Aasiya Andrabi to life imprisonment and her associates Fahmeeda Sofi and Naheeda Nasreen to 30 years in prison each, calling it a grave miscarriage of justice.

He said the verdict reflects the misuse of India’s controversial Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and is part of attempts to silence dissenting voices in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
He added that Pakistan has urged the international community, the United Nations and global human rights organizations to take immediate notice of serious human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and hold India accountable. Pakistan, he reiterated, will continue to support the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The spokesperson emphasized that diplomacy in times of heightened tensions requires patience, discretion and confidentiality, adding that the only viable solution to the current crisis lies in dialogue and diplomacy. He said Pakistan is ready to facilitate and play a constructive role in promoting peace, as the ultimate objective is sustainable peace in the region.
Regarding Afghanistan, he said Pakistan is exercising extreme caution in its counter-terrorism operations to ensure the protection of civilians.

He noted that a recent United Nations report highlighted links between the groups referred to as Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan and the Afghan Taliban.
The spokesperson said Pakistan remains a fully secure country and incidents of terrorism have significantly decreased. He also clarified that the doors for dialogue with Afghanistan remain open.
Criticizing India’s conduct on water issues, he said India is misusing its position as the upper riparian state and Pakistan will not allow water to be used as a weapon.