Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday asked Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to visit Iran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States to meet his counterparts and convey a clear message that Pakistan is ready to play its role for peace but it can never again be part of any war.
The prime minister also asked Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa to contact relevant military leaders of Iran, Saudi Arabia and US to convey the same message. “I have asked FM Qureshi to visit Iran, KSA & USA to meet with respective foreign ministers, Secretary of State; & COAS Gen Bajwa to contact relevant military leaders to convey a clear message: Pakistan is ready to play its role for peace but it can never again be part of any war,” the prime minister said in a tweet posted on his social media account.
Separately, talking to Minister for Endowment and Religious Affairs of Oman Sheikh Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abdullah Assalami at the PM Office, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed Pakistan’s deep concern over the evolving situation in the Gulf and Middle East. He stressed that war is in nobody’s interest and called for immediate measures for de-escalation.
Recalling that Pakistan has suffered greatly due to earlier regional conflicts, the prime minister made it clear that Islamabad will not be part of any conflict in the region. He also recalled his earlier efforts for facilitation of contacts between the United States and Iran as well as Iran and Saudi Arabia for peaceful resolution of differences and disputes. He said Pakistan will always be a partner for peace and in that regard, it will continue to play its role in seeking to defuse tensions, prevent a conflict, and preserve the peace.
During the meeting, the recent developments in the Middle East and Gulf region were discussed.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has called upon all relevant parties in the dangerously escalating conflict between US and Iran to ‘avoid rhetoric in favour of diplomatic engagement’.
A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the army chief had received a phone call from US Secretary of Defence Mark T Esper during which the ongoing tensions in the Middle East were discussed. “The Secretary expressed that US doesn’t want to seek conflict, but will respond forcefully if necessary,” said the ISPR statement.
According to the statement, Gen Bajwa said Pakistan supports de-escalation and ‘all initiatives which bring peace to the region’. “We call upon all concerned to avoid rhetoric in favour of diplomatic engagement. We all have worked a lot to bring peace in the region by fighting against terrorism,” the statement quoted the army chief as saying. Gen Bajwa said Pakistan will continue to play its ‘constructive part’ in the Afghan reconciliation process so that further conflict in the region can be avoided. A day earlier, in a statement on Twitter, Esper had acknowledged receiving ‘sound counsel’ from Gen Bajwa as well as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the ongoing conflict.
Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said rising tensions in the region due to the situation in the Middle East is not in anyone’s interest, adding that the region cannot afford war. “The region cannot afford war. It is not in anyone’s interest and will impact the global economy,” Qureshi said, according to a statement issued by the foreign minister’s spokesperson. “The ones who were attacked this morning are still assessing the damage. Initial reports suggest that there has been no loss of human life,” he added.
Commenting on Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif’s recent statement, Qureshi said it reflects Iran’s intent to not escalate tensions. “The statement reflected the seriousness of the situation and showed restraint. The US should also exercise caution. There is still a large majority in the US which is not in favour of war and does not want to thrust the US army into the frontlines,” he said.
The foreign minister said he had been in touch with his counterparts in the region. “We are also endeavouring to ensure that tensions in the region remain in check,” he said, and went on to say that the views expressed by him during the Senate session on Monday were the views of the government. “It is too premature to say anything for certain as the situation is still precarious. However, Pakistan does not want tensions to escalate. This region cannot witness yet another war,” he emphasised. “Such matters need to be resolved through dialogue. The UN Security Council and the international community need to play a role in resolving tensions in the region,” he said.
