Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar stated on Monday that Pakistan is committed to de-escalating the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, emphasizing the importance of negotiations and diplomacy. Addressing members of the diplomatic corps in Islamabad, Dar highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic endeavors to reduce regional tensions and encourage parties to return to dialogue.

“We are passing through difficult times in terms of diplomacy. All our efforts are focused on reducing tensions and bringing the parties back to the negotiations,” Dar remarked. He reiterated that diplomacy and negotiation are the sole path forward and confirmed Pakistan’s close monitoring of the situation in Iran.

Dar also touched upon the broader implications of the conflict, recalling the death of a Pakistani citizen in an attack on the United Arab Emirates. He expressed Pakistan’s desire for positive and friendly relations with all its neighbors.

Regarding the situation in Gaza, Dar mentioned Pakistan’s past contributions to resolving the issue and recalled interactions between a group of Arab Islamic countries and former US President Donald Trump aimed at bringing peace and humanitarian aid to the region.

In separate discussions, Dar spoke about his visits to Afghanistan and his talks with the Taliban leadership concerning trade and economic matters. He reiterated Pakistan’s request for Afghanistan not to allow its territory to be used for terrorism, stating, “We have solid evidence that the soil of Afghanistan was used for terrorism.”