ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday renewed its call for restraint amid continuing tensions between the United States and Iran, warning that any further escalation would undermine regional stability and insisting that sustained dialogue and diplomacy remain the only path to lasting peace.
Addressing the Foreign Office’s weekly media briefing, spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan remained “deeply concerned” over the latest regional developments and had been actively engaging with regional partners to support efforts aimed at de-escalation.
“We underscored that a renewed conflict serves no one’s interest,” Andrabi said, urging all sides to avoid actions that could further inflame tensions. He stressed that disputes could only be resolved through negotiations, adding that “there is no alternative to sustained engagement, dialogue and diplomacy.”
The spokesperson said Pakistan would continue encouraging all parties to resume technical-level talks under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and the Pakistan-Qatar Joint Statement of June 22.
He noted that the ongoing tensions were already affecting countries beyond the Middle East, particularly those in the Global South, through disruptions to trade, food security and global energy supplies. Andrabi also expressed hope for an early return to normality in the Strait of Hormuz, emphasising the need to safeguard freedom of maritime navigation.
Highlighting Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach, Andrabi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had held separate telephone conversations with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, during which he stressed restraint and the importance of preserving the fragile peace achieved in recent weeks.
According to the spokesperson, the Qatari emir thanked Pakistan for playing “an active role, a leading role for peace in the region,” while President Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to peace and appreciated Islamabad’s “constructive support” for regional stability.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also held separate telephone conversations with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. During the discussions, the leaders reviewed recent developments and agreed to remain in close contact.
Turning to other diplomatic engagements, Andrabi confirmed that Dar had departed for Shanghai, where he will sign the founding agreement of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) on behalf of Pakistan.
He said Pakistan would join the China-backed organisation as a founding member. During the visit, Dar will also attend the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and hold a series of bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts on the sidelines.
The spokesperson also highlighted several recent diplomatic activities, including Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman’s visit to Islamabad, annual bilateral consultations with Portugal, and President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to Kyrgyzstan — the first visit by a Pakistani president to the Central Asian country in more than two decades.
He added that Pakistan recently hosted the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, attended by delegates from all 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Pakistan also submitted its seventh national report under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, which, Andrabi said, reflected the country’s continued commitment to international non-proliferation obligations.
Responding to questions during the briefing, Andrabi rejected India’s latest charge sheet against six leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, including the late Syed Ali Geelani, describing it as another attempt to use “sham legal processes” against the Kashmiri leadership.
He said reopening a case dating back nearly three decades showed how India’s legal institutions were being used “to advance a political agenda” and maintained that such actions could not alter “the internationally recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The spokesperson also dismissed India’s allegations linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack, calling them “baseless and politically motivated.” He reiterated Pakistan’s demand for an “independent, transparent and credible investigation,” saying India had yet to present any credible evidence to support its claims.
Replying to a question regarding a child sexual abuse case in the United Kingdom, Andrabi condemned child sexual abuse “in the strongest possible terms” and said those responsible should face the full force of the law.
He clarified that the case was entirely a matter for British authorities, noting that the individual concerned was a British national convicted by a UK court. Pakistan, he said, had “no connection whatsoever with this matter” and no role in any decisions relating to the individual’s release or legal status.