BEIJING (Kashmir English): Pakistan and China on Tuesday proposed a five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, the Foreign Office spokesperson said.
The peace proposal came after a review meeting between Pakistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing on March 31, on the situation in the Middle East.
The FO said that both Pakistan and China called for the “immediate cessation of hostilities” and for peace talks to start as soon as possible.
Both called for utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to all war-affected areas, the initiative proposed.
Five-Point Initiative of China and Pakistan For Restoring Peace and Stability in the Gulf and Middle East Region
I. Immediate Cessation of Hostilities – utmost efforts to prevent the spread of conflict.
II. Start of peace talks – upholding Sovereignty, territorial integrity,… https://t.co/7QI9y1kOI6
— Tahir Andrabi (@TahirAndrabi) March 31, 2026
The two countries also urged the start of peace talks as soon as possible, adding that sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence, and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded.
“Dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable options to resolve conflicts. China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to a peaceful resolution of disputes, and refraining from the use or the threat of use of force during peace talks,” the FO statement said.
Security of nonmilitary targets
Urging for the security of nonmilitary targets, the neighboring countries proposed that the principle of protecting civilians in military conflict should be observed.
“China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination, and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants.”
Security of shipping lanes
Furthermore, the five-point initiative called for the security of shipping lanes, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz, together with its adjacent waters, is an important global shipping route for goods and energy.
Both nations called on the parties to “protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz”, “allow the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships”, and restore normal passage through the Strait as soon as possible.
Lastly, Pakistan and China called for jointly strengthening the primacy of the United Nations Charter and for efforts to practice true multilateralism.
They called to “support the conclusion of an agreement for establishing a comprehensive peace framework and realizing lasting peace based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and international law.”
