Dialogue the most effective means for peaceful settlement of disputes: Pakistan Foreign Office

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said that the recent visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and follow-up talks under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding had reinforced its belief that “dialogue and diplomacy remain the most effective means for peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts.” 

 At the weekly press briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the Iranian president visited Pakistan this week at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and held meetings with Pakistan's civilian and military leadership.

"The two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explored avenues to further deepen cooperation across diverse sectors, including trade, energy, border security, people-to-people exchange, as well as regional connectivity," the spokesperson said.

He said discussions also covered the ongoing peace process following the signing of the Islamabad MoU between the United States and Iran, announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on June 18.

As part of follow-up efforts, Pakistan and Qatar hosted the first high-level committee meeting under the framework of the Islamabad MoU in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on June 21.

According to the spokesperson, the meeting helped the parties "reach an understanding on various aspects of the implementation of the Islamabad MoU."

He said the sides agreed to establish a high-level committee for political oversight, create working groups focused on sanctions, monitoring, and dispute resolution, and adopt "a roadmap toward reaching a final deal in 60 days."

Another key outcome was the establishment of communication channels to avoid incidents and miscalculations, including ensuring the "safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

A technical committee meeting involving the parties was subsequently held on June 22, with Pakistan and Qatar continuing to engage with US and Iranian technical teams.

"The Islamabad MoU and the Lucerne Summit reinforce our faith in dialogue and diplomacy as the most effective means for peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts," he said.

International recognition

The spokesperson added that Pakistan welcomed a positive international recognition of its mediation efforts, saying such acknowledgment reflected "the international community's trust in Pakistan's commitment to advancing dialogue, peace, security and stability."

He praised the Pakistani media for maintaining confidentiality throughout the process.

"Pakistan's media demonstrated professionalism and maturity by respecting the strict requirements of confidentiality, discretion, and trust that are indispensable to any credible facilitator or mediation effort," he said.

Diplomatic outreach

Andrabi said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar participated in the fourth meeting of foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt in Cairo on June 21, where the participants reviewed progress on the Islamabad MoU and broader regional developments.

The spokesperson also detailed Dar's diplomatic outreach over the past two weeks, including telephone conversations with counterparts from Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Italy, Canada, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Türkiye, as well as senior European Union officials.

'Difficult issue'

On Pakistani sailors being held by Somali pirates in Somalia's Puntland region, the spokesperson said the government remained engaged in efforts to secure their release.

"The government's priority at this stage is diplomatic and humanitarian endeavors to secure the safe release," he said, adding that Pakistan was in contact with Somali authorities, international organizations, and friendly countries while maintaining engagement with the families of the hostages.

He said the situation is a "difficult issue" and that an inter-ministerial mechanism had been established to coordinate the government's response.

On Palestine, he said Pakistan joined eight Arab and Islamic countries in issuing a joint statement condemning escalating violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including attacks on religious sites near Ramallah.

The spokesperson also said Pakistan facilitated the repatriation of 30 Iranian nationals this week, including fishermen rescued by a British vessel and crew members from a ship intercepted by US authorities.

Separately, the spokesperson welcomed the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2823, a Pakistan-led initiative aimed at strengthening accountability for attacks on UN peacekeepers.

The resolution, co-sponsored by 153 UN member states, calls for credible investigations and prosecutions of perpetrators and mandates annual reporting on the issue.

"The resolution reflects Pakistan's leadership role in enhancing the safety and effectiveness of UN peacekeeping reforms as well as UN peacekeeping operations," he said.