Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its desire to play its role for de-escalation of tension in the Middle East and is working on finalization of the dates for the upcoming visit of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to Washington, Tehran and Riyadh to pursue the desire.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui told her weekly media briefing that Pakistan has reached out to as many of its partners as possible contributing towards "our collective objective" of peace in the region.
"There are no two opinions that this region cannot afford any other conflict. The collective wisdom demands that all parties concerned should play their role in this regard. Certainly, Pakistan is playing its role for peace and stability in the region," she said.
About the foreign minister's visit to Iran, she said that it is on the cards, and the Foreign Office is working on it. She said that the Prime Minister has also advised the foreign minister to undertake visits in the region.
"There is always a room for engagement and interaction within the region and beyond. The foreign minister's visit will be aimed towards this," she added.
She reiterated that the Prime Minister has also made it clear that Pakistan has consistently emphasized the importance of the restraint and diffusion of tension. "We urge that there should be no escalation from any side. All sides must exercise maximum restraint. War is in no one's interest," she said, adding that Pakistan will not be a party to any conflict in the region.
She added that as Foreign Minister Qureshi stated that the recent developments since 3rd January and the assassination of General Soleimani have brought tensions that were already simmering in the region, to another level - a dangerous level.
"There has been effort by Pakistan to bring the tensions down because when the situation is fluid and tempers are high, things can get very wrong. The outreach initiated by our leadership is towards that goal," she asserted.
She further stated that Pakistan will always be a partner for peace and will continue its efforts for prevention of conflict and restoration of peace, adding that collective wisdom demands that all concerned parties should play their role in this regard. Certainly, Pakistan is playing its role for peace and stability in the region, she added.
Commenting on US President Donald Trump's statement on Wednesday after the Iranian retaliation, she said: "We heard the comprehensive statement of President Trump last night and we believe that there is an indication that peace must be given a chance and de-escalation of tensions should take place. Pakistan has already stated that any attempt to reduce tensions will be welcomed."
When asked for comments on the additional sanctions on Iran as announced by President Trump, she said: "We are awaiting further details on that as it was mentioned in the course of his speech and we will update you on our position, as and when the situation develops."
About Iran's announcement to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with world powers, she said that Pakistan has a principled position on Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), adding that Pakistan has always maintained that JCPOA represents a good example of a negotiated settlement of complex issues through dialogue and diplomacy.
"We hope that all parties to the JCPOA will be able to take effective measures to resolve all outstanding issues through consultations within the framework provided in the Agreement," she asserted.
Responding to repeated questions about the telephonic conversation of the US authorities, especially Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, with the Army Chief instead with his Pakistani counterpart Qureshi, the spokesperson stated that the US and Pakistan have longstanding relations, adding, "Bilateral relations cover the entire gamut of our interaction across all fields that include political, military, economic, development, social and academic."
"The contacts and exchanges between the leaderships of the two countries take place at multiple levels. There is not one channel, but there are multiple channels of interaction between our leaders," she said, adding that the focus in all these multiple interactions remains on building a stronger relationship and advancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
About the US decision to revive International Military Education and Training (IMET) program for Pakistan, she said that it is one more step in the right direction and reflective of 'our growing bilateral relationship'. "We believe it is important to continue to work for a broad-based and enduring relationship, based on mutual trust and mutual respect. Our two sides remain engaged in this context," she said. However, she expressed her inability to provide the exact details of any assistance to be revived by Pakistan.
Regarding Afghan peace process, she said that the foreign minister in his extensive outreach with his counterparts expressed hope that the progress made in the Afghan peace process should be preserved and further advanced. "So we are very mindful of this. At every interaction by the Prime Minister, foreign minister and the military leadership we have underscored that the peace process in Afghanistan should not be affected," she asserted.
To a question about any update on the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Malaysia, she said that Pakistan remains closely engaged with Malaysia, 'which is a brotherly country and an important partner.' She said that the Prime Minister's visit to Malaysia is envisaged in near future.
About India's intention to arrange a visit of certain diplomats to the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, she said that Pakistan hopes that the visit would take place without any restriction by the Indian government so that envoys would have access to all areas. "They [envoys] may also be allowed to freely interact with Hurriyat leadership and Kashmiri people in an atmosphere free from intimidation and coercion. How will the visit take place, needs to be seen. We are also keen to know the outcome," she added.
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