BRUSSELS (Kashmir English): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held an informal meeting with world leaders on the sidelines of the EU Indo-Pacific Forum.
During the meeting with Singaporean Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan and Bangladeshi Ambassador Khandkar Masoodul Islam, the three leaders stressed the importance of promoting positive dialogue to further strengthen mutual trust and understanding.
They also discussed the current regional and global situation and presented their respective perspectives on various issues.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the aim of the meeting was to enhance cooperation in the region, strengthen diplomatic ties, and create coordination to address common challenges.
The informal discussion took place on the sidelines of the ongoing forum in Brussels, where foreign ministers and representatives of different countries of the world are participating.
Ishaq Dar’s address at EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, while addressing the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Brussels, said that the world is passing through a critical phase where challenges such as escalating conflicts, prolonged external occupations, great power rivalry, global arms race, and militarization of cyber and outer space are posing serious threats to peace.
The Foreign Minister said that global trade disputes, food insecurity, inflation, economic imbalances, disruptions in energy supply, and negative environmental impacts have further complicated the situation.
He said that rapidly changing technologies powered by AI are creating both new opportunities and major concerns, while in comparison, the collective capacity of the international community is weakening.
He clarified that the multilateral system is under pressure while the international architecture is further fragmenting. In such circumstances, the need for global leadership and dialogue is more important than ever.
He said that Pakistan, during its presidency of the UN Security Council in July, unanimously passed Resolution 2788, which aims to strengthen the system of peaceful resolution of disputes.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that turning the Asia-Pacific into an arena of strategic competition is wrong. Concepts like Indo-Pacific are not compatible with the history, geography, and culture of the region.
According to him, regional cooperation should be based on inclusion, not externality.
He warned that in recent days, aggressive actions in the region have jeopardized peace. Pakistan appreciated the positive role of the European Union and other partners.
He said that some elements in the region are trying to create tension through provocative statements, war mentality, and unilateral actions.
The Foreign Minister called the move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty illegal, unilateral, and a threat to regional peace and demanded its immediate restoration. He said that water should be a means of cooperation, not a weapon of politics.
He said that lasting peace in South Asia is not possible without a peaceful resolution of Kashmir. The wishes of the Kashmiri people and the resolutions of the UN Security Council are the basic guiding principles of this issue.
Regarding Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister said that Pakistan wants a peaceful, stable, friendly and connected Afghanistan. He urged the Afghan Taliban administration to show responsibility and take practical steps to eradicate terrorism from its soil.
Speaking on the situation in the Middle East, he said that the ongoing atrocities in Gaza should end immediately and the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories should also end. Pakistan described the peace agreement in Sharm el-Sheikh as a positive development.
On the Ukraine war, he said that the conflict has severely affected the global energy and food markets, and Pakistan supports a peaceful resolution to the issue.
