Islamabad: Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions between the United States and Iran, which contributed to a ceasefire, have been acknowledged by international leaders.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, he said Pakistan remains committed to promoting peace, dialogue, and stability in the region, adding that its role in easing Washington–Tehran tensions reflects its consistent foreign policy approach.
Andrabi stated that Pakistan maintained active communication with both sides under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. He said these efforts helped facilitate a ceasefire and paved the way for structured peace talks held in Islamabad.
He added that the Islamabad negotiations reportedly included extended discussions between delegations led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The process, he said, was supported at the highest levels of Pakistan’s leadership, including the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and the army chief.
The spokesperson noted that Field Marshal Asim Munir had recently visited Iran as part of continued diplomatic engagement, while the Prime Minister is currently on a regional tour covering three countries from April 15 to 18 to strengthen bilateral ties and promote peace initiatives.
He further said that several world leaders contacted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role. These included the leaders of Qatar, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s position, Andrabi said the country will continue to support dialogue-based solutions and work toward regional cooperation and stability.
Separately, he strongly condemned Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque and criticized ongoing strikes in Lebanon, calling them violations of international law that risk further destabilizing the region.
On multilateral diplomacy, he highlighted Pakistan’s participation in the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure meeting, where member states discussed emerging security threats and agreed on stronger counterterrorism coordination. He added that Pakistan will host the next SCO-RATS meeting later this year.
Andrabi also noted a recent four-nation consultative meeting in Islamabad involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt to review cooperation and prepare for an upcoming foreign ministers’ session in Türkiye.
Responding to questions, he raised concerns over the reported promotion of an Indian army officer previously linked to the Samjhauta Express incident, questioning accountability in the matter.
He also referred to rising incidents of violence against minorities in India under cow protection laws and called for protection of Muslim communities.
On Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesperson criticized India’s delimitation process in the region and reiterated Pakistan’s stance that any changes aimed at altering demographics are unacceptable. He reaffirmed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are entitled to self-determination in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
