Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday for a meeting with the foreign ministers of regional countries, where he will advocate for a “swift end” to the conflict in the Middle East, according to the Foreign Office (FO).
The conflict began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. In retaliatory strikes, Iran has targeted US assets and bases in Gulf countries. Amid the hostilities, the FO has termed Pakistan’s role a “bridge builder”.
In a statement, FO said Dar had arrived in Riyadh, where he is set to “participate in the Consultative Ministerial Meeting of Foreign Ministers from Arab and Islamic countries, hosted by Saudi Arabia”.
Upon arrival, Dar was received by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Farooq and representatives of the Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry, FO said.
In a separate statement earlier in the day, the FO said that Dar was travelling to Riyadh at the invitation of Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
It said Dar would attend the meeting with foreign ministers of regional countries from March 18 to 19, during which he will “express complete support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence of all brotherly countries in the region, and call for an end to all attacks on their territory”.
According to the FO, Dar will reiterate “Pakistan’s call for a swift end to the ongoing conflict” and call for a return to “dialogue and diplomacy”.
The foreign minister is also expected to highlight Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach efforts and its “desire to continue playing a pivotal role towards resolving the prevailing grave security crisis being faced by the region”.
According to a Reuters report, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is also attending a meeting in Riyadh today to discuss regional developments.
This will mark the third visit from the Pakistani side to Saudi Arabia amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Dar speaks with Turkish FM, stresses need for de-escalation in ME crisis
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar spoke last evening with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and discussed the evolving regional situation and expressed serious concern over the rising tensions.
During the conversation, the deputy PM underscored the urgent need for de-escalation, a press release issued by the Foreign Office Spokesperson said on Wednesday.
He also emphasised that constructive dialogue and diplomacy remain the only effective means to resolve issues and promote peace and stability in the region.