ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has called for reducing tensions and promoting diplomacy in the current crisis in the Middle East, saying that patience and dialogue are the only way to achieve lasting peace in the region.
Addressing an open debate on international peace and security at the United Nations Security Council, Ishaq Dar said that ‘Pakistan, as a close neighbor of Iran, a brotherly country of the Gulf countries, and a country with long-standing relations with the United States, has consistently supported the reduction of tensions and dialogue.
He said that during his visit to Beijing on March 31, Pakistan and China had also announced a joint ‘five-point initiative’ to restore peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East, which aims to promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region.
Ishaq Dar said that peaceful means should be adopted equally for the resolution of all long-standing disputes on the agenda of the UN Security Council, while the Kashmir issue has been urgently addressed in accordance with UN resolutions.
He said that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been unresolved for almost eight decades, despite several clear Security Council resolutions assuring the Kashmiri people of their right to self-determination. Sustainable peace in South Asia cannot be established based on denial, unilateral actions, or coercion.
He said that peace in the region cannot be maintained with any attempt to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, as this treaty is an important framework for water cooperation and regional stability.
Ishaq Dar stressed that water should never be used as a weapon, respect for treaties is essential, and the resolution of disputes is possible only under the principles of international law, negotiations, and justice, and through the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions.
Regarding Palestine, Ishaq Dar said that as long as occupation, forced evictions, and the establishment of illegal settlements continue, lasting peace is not possible in the Middle East.
He reiterated his support for the two-state solution and stressed the establishment of an independent Palestinian state according to the pre-1967 borders.
The Foreign Minister also stressed the need for reforms in the UN Security Council and said that making the Council more representative, transparent, and effective is the need of the hour, especially since developing countries should be given adequate representation.
He said that world peace is not just about ending war but is also associated with justice, equality, development, and the protection of human dignity. Ishaq Dar reiterated his resolve that Pakistan will continue to play its role in the promotion of global peace, justice, and the principles of the UN Charter.
