ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (DPM/FM), Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to collective security, declaring that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was a defensive arrangement, directed against no country, and intended to contribute to regional stability. He said Pakistan would continue to strengthen strategic partnerships while pursuing peace and stability through diplomacy.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Margalla Dialogue 2026, organised by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Dar said Pakistan’s ability to navigate growing global uncertainty rested on strengthening its domestic economy and pursuing effective diplomacy abroad.
He stressed that the emerging international order must be based on sovereign equality, territorial integrity, respect for international law and peaceful settlement of disputes, warning that the growing reliance on military instruments was narrowing the space for diplomacy.
He said instability in the Gulf and Red Sea demonstrated how quickly regional crises could disrupt international trade and energy supplies, creating wider economic repercussions.
On Pakistan’s regional diplomacy, Dar highlighted Islamabad’s facilitation of talks between the United States and Iran in April 2026, saying the subsequent Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding had provided an important foundation for further negotiations.
DPM Dar said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and the Foreign Office had remained closely engaged in efforts to facilitate dialogue and advance regional peace.
He also underscored Pakistan’s coordination with China, recalling the Five-Point Initiative for Restoring Peace and Stability in the Gulf and Middle East Region, jointly issued during his March 31 visit to Beijing.
He said Pakistan had also remained actively engaged with Qatar and the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt through the R-4 framework, alongside consultations with European partners, to sustain diplomatic engagement and facilitate a return to negotiations.
Emphasising the importance of keeping diplomatic channels open even during serious confrontations, Dar said closing avenues of communication would make future crises harder to manage and peace more difficult to achieve.
On South Asia, the foreign minister said unresolved disputes, military asymmetries and unilateral actions continued to undermine regional stability. He said Pakistan’s decisive and calibrated response to India’s unprovoked aggression in May 2025 through Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos demonstrated its resolve and capability to defend its sovereignty.
He paid tribute to the armed forces for their professionalism and resolve, reiterating that Pakistan would defend its sovereignty with determination while pursuing peace with equal commitment.
He also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding its legitimate rights under the Indus Waters Treaty, opposing any attempt to weaponise water, and said respect for treaty obligations was essential for human security and confidence between states.
On the western frontier, he described terrorism emanating from Afghan territory as a serious security challenge, stressing that Pakistan would continue to protect its people while supporting a peaceful, stable and economically integrated Afghanistan. He said progress required effective action to ensure Afghan territory was not used for terrorism against other countries, particularly Pakistan.
Turning to economic diplomacy, he said Pakistan was working with international partners to expand markets for Pakistani products, attract productive investment and strengthen technology cooperation to promote business growth, employment and improved livelihoods.
The Margalla Dialogue 2026 was organised by IPRI under the theme “Global Order in Transition: Navigating Strategic Uncertainty.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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