Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Tuesday sought a relationship of peace and stability with all neighbours, including India, saying disputes and differences are resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, instead of conflict and coercion.
In an address at the SCO foreign ministers meeting in this Chinese city, Dar said the last three months witnessed “extremely disturbing developments” in South Asia.
“It is most unfortunate that the attribution of the Pahalgam Attack to Pakistan — without a credible investigation or verifiable evidence — brought the two nuclear-armed states to the brink of a major conflict,” he said.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
“Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to the ceasefire and the cultivation of a stable regional equilibrium. However, we cannot accept that the arbitrary use of force is normalised,” Dar said.
“We believe that disputes and differences are resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, instead of conflict and coercion,” he added.
“In that backdrop, initiation of a comprehensive and structured dialogue can meaningfully address the full spectrum of issues that have long bedevilled the peace and security in South Asia. Strict adherence to bilateral agreements would be equally important in this regard,” said Dar, who also holds the portfolio of deputy prime minister.
Dar said the events unfolding in the region since the April 22 attack in Pahalgam “reaffirmed a central truth of South Asian geopolitics: the peaceful settlement of longstanding unresolved disputes was imperative for an enduring peace in the region.”
“Terrorism is the common concern of humanity that threatens global security. All forms of terrorism, including state terrorism are condemnable. We must shun the use of terrorism for political purposes and combat this menace through a cooperative approach, including addressing its root causes,” he said.
The foreign minister also slammed last month’s attacks by Israel and the US on Iran, saying it was “unacceptable.”
He further said Israel has shown a reckless disregard for international norms and humanity through its relentless and disproportionate use of force in Gaza, resulting in the death of tens of thousands of civilians causing the worst humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“We call for an immediate halt to Israel’s atrocities. The only viable remedy to Palestine dispute is the realisation of a two-state solution which includes the establishment of Palestine as a viable, secure and contiguous state on the basis of pre-1967 borders with Al Quds as its capital,” he added.
Dar said Pakistan is increasingly concerned at the trends of using aggression as a tool of policy. He called for the resolution of longstanding disputes through peaceful means, dialogue, diplomacy and according to the principles of international law, justice and fairness.
“We need to take concrete steps within existing SCO’s mechanisms for trade and development and promote the use of national currencies for mutual settlement within SCO region to avoid international financial shocks,” he said.
He also called on the SCO members to collectively address the existential threat of climate change, saying that at a time when the global order is experiencing profound challenges, SCO has emerged as a stabilising force.
“In our pursuit to peace and security, we believe in non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, non-use of force or threat of its use in international relations, as well as seeking no unilateral military superiority in the region,” he said.
After the meeting, Dar in a post on X said: “At the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting today, we reaffirmed our shared commitment to multilateralism, mutual respect and regional stability. The Shanghai Spirit continues to guide us towards dialogue, mutual trust and the pursuit of a more just and inclusive international order.”
The SCO comprises 10 member states namely China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. China currently holds the rotating presidency of the SCO. (PTI)
