Daily Times

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said that Pakistan was a sovereign country and the present government would take decisions in the best national interests to meet its energy requirements and fulfill international obligations.

Addressing a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, to a query regarding Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, said that the government would take the decisions in the national interests and would not allow interference into its international obligations.

He also termed the Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan as very productive. To another query, he replied that Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman would undertake a bilateral visit to Pakistan soon and they would receive a date in this regard, in the current month. Earlier, initial and business to business meetings had taken place which helped in finalizing the groundwork for the top Saudi leadership’s visit to Pakistan, he added.

The recent Saudi delegation comprising private sector companies had termed their meetings with the Pakistani counterparts as very productive and they were very impressed with the progress made in this regard, he said, adding that the present government would facilitate such like processes in the economic sector.

The deputy PM and foreign minister further said that Pakistan wanted stability and peace in the region and was desirous to have good friendly relations with all including the neighbouring country Afghanistan.

He said that in recent terrorism incidents including an attack on Chinese nationals, reports confirmed that the ‘masterminding, planning and triggering took place from the Afghan soil’.

To another question regarding restrictions on social media platform X, he said that Article 19 of the Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression and speech but subjected to relevant laws and boundaries.

It did not give blanket freedom to anyone to taint and raise slur with baseless allegations against the national interests and state institutions, he added. The minister also noted that in Pakistan there were defamation laws but he had seldom witnessed any proceedings on the relevant legal provisions.

Earlier, briefing the mediamen about his participation in the World Economic Forum (WEF) along with the Prime Minister and 15th OIC Summit in The Gambia, the deputy foreign minister said that Pakistan played a very active and leading role over the key issues confronting the Muslim Ummah including immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Islamophobia, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and other economic related subjects.

At the OIC summit, Pakistan’s viewpoint with regard to condemnation of ongoing Israeli brutality and indiscriminate use of force against Palestinians, calls for immediate ceasefire and opening of humanitarian corridor, besides two-state solution with June 1967 pre-borders was overwhelmingly supported by all the members.

These assertions were made a part of the communiqué adopted at the conclusion of the OIC summit, he added.

About Islamophobia, Dar said that Pakistan underlined the need that 57-member body of OIC should adopt an effective approach towards this global issue with a solid stance over the malicious and sacrilegious material being circulated on social media platforms which required concerted efforts by all the members.

He said that designation of an OIC-special envoy over Islamophobia was a positive outcome.

The foreign minister said that he had told the summit that the alarming genocide like situation in Gaza was parallel to what was happening in the IIOJK.

He said that their focus was on ‘economic diplomacy’ and Africa possessed ‘tremendous scope for the Pakistani exporters’.

To a question, he maintained that a note verbale was received from the US ambassador in March who wanted to meet with the leaders of the parliament and MOFA had no objection over his meetings with the leader of the opposition and other members of the parliament.

However, Dar made it clear that the ministry neither initiated the process nor arranged it as claimed by certain media reports.

He also brushed aside a set of claims by political leaders about his role in the import of wheat as head of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet.

The deputy prime minister and foreign minister categorically stated that he did not approve any summary in this regard till August 9, 2023 when their previous government completed its tenure.

The minister also rejected assumption about dysfunctioning of Track and Trace System of FBR during their previous tenure, regretting that certain personalities indulged ‘in petty politics’.