Islamabad: Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its official weekly press briefing held on Thursday, 24 July 2025. It issued a comprehensive account of the country’s intensified diplomatic engagement at the global level, led prominently by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
In an active fortnight of strategic outreach, Pakistan has assumed the global spotlight through its presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), engaging in high-level diplomatic events in New York and Washington, fortifying regional economic cooperation through trilateral efforts with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, enhancing bilateral dialogues with the European Union and the United Kingdom, and reiterating its resolute stances on pressing global issues such as Palestine, Jammu and Kashmir, and Syria.
In his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar undertook an official visit to the United States to attend the high-level signature events of Pakistan’s presidency of the UN Security Council, currently being held in New York. His engagements also extended to Washington, underpinning the seriousness with which Pakistan is approaching both multilateral diplomacy and bilateral relations. This visit, marked by an ambitious diplomatic agenda, aimed to reinforce Pakistan’s commitment to the principles of multilateralism, sustainable development, conflict resolution, and regional peace.
On 21 July 2025, Senator Ishaq Dar delivered Pakistan’s national statement during the Ministerial Segment of the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF). There, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and outlined key policy initiatives aimed at fostering inclusive economic growth, building climate resilience, and enacting crucial economic reforms. He pointed to various transformative measures taken by Pakistan to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while simultaneously calling for a just, equitable, and inclusive international financial architecture that can support the aspirations of developing nations. Senator Dar emphasized the importance of global cooperation to build a fairer and more resilient future, thereby framing Pakistan as a constructive and proactive participant in global development discourse.
During the same period, Senator Dar held significant sideline meetings with the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and the President of the UN General Assembly, Philémon Yang. In these discussions, he reiterated Pakistan’s enduring support for multilateralism and stressed the centrality of the UN in resolving international disputes, ensuring sustainable development, and safeguarding fundamental human rights. He also raised several critical national and regional issues, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remains unresolved in violation of multiple UN resolutions. Senator Dar also spotlighted the ongoing violations of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, underscoring the grave implications such actions have for regional peace. Further reflecting Pakistan’s consistent position on international justice and human rights, he reaffirmed Islamabad’s support for Palestinian statehood, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and categorically rejected Israel’s illegal annexation plans in the West Bank.
Under Pakistan’s presidency, the UN Security Council held a high-level open debate on 22 July 2025 titled “Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and Peaceful Settlement of Disputes.” Chairing the session, Senator Ishaq Dar emphasized the foundational role of multilateralism in maintaining global peace. He highlighted the detrimental effects of the selective application of international law, drawing pointed references to the crises in Gaza and Jammu and Kashmir. The Deputy Prime Minister criticized the growing trend of unilateral actions that undermine international agreements, including the Indus Waters Treaty, and called for greater adherence to international obligations to ensure a rules-based global order. The open debate culminated in the unanimous adoption of Resolution 2788, a landmark initiative under Pakistan’s leadership. This resolution focused on “Strengthening Mechanisms for the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes” and urged member states to make fuller use of the peaceful resolution tools enshrined in Chapter VI of the UN Charter. These include negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement, and the use of the Secretary-General’s good offices, as well as regional and sub-regional bodies.
On 23 July 2025, the Deputy Prime Minister presided over another significant UNSC debate, this time focusing on the “Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question.” Representing Pakistan, Senator Dar delivered a powerful national statement that condemned Israel’s continued attacks on hospitals, schools, UN facilities, humanitarian convoys, and refugee camps—acts described as clear violations of International Humanitarian Law and defiance of various UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, along with provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice. He denounced these acts as deliberate collective punishment and a litmus test for the credibility and relevance of the United Nations. Senator Dar called on the Security Council to take immediate and concrete steps towards achieving a ceasefire, ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access, ending occupation and forced displacement, supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and implementing reconstruction plans for Gaza led by the Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He also advocated for the revival of the two-state solution, emphasizing it as the only viable path to peace in the region.
In continuation of Pakistan’s focus on strengthening multilateralism, Senator Ishaq Dar is scheduled to chair yet another high-level briefing at the UN Security Council that will explore avenues for enhancing cooperation between the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. This initiative builds on Pakistan’s long-standing advocacy for greater synergy between global and regional organizations in promoting peace, development, and conflict resolution.
Beyond the confines of the UN headquarters, Senator Ishaq Dar also conducted multiple bilateral meetings with key international officials. These included interactions with Peter Launsky, the Special Envoy for Global Affairs of the Austrian Chancellor; Lord Collins of Highbury, the UK Minister for Africa, the UN, Commonwealth, and Multilateral Affairs; Thailand’s Foreign Minister, Maris Sangiampongsa; and the Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal Al-Ibrahim. These sideline engagements were complemented by Senator Dar’s outreach to global investment, banking, and IT leaders in New York, reflecting Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign investment and integrate itself further into the global economic ecosystem.
Earlier in the month, on 17 July 2025, Senator Dar participated in a trilateral meeting in Kabul alongside the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. This meeting occurred ahead of the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Uzbek-Afghan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project. The trilateral engagement reaffirmed the three nations’ shared commitment to enhancing regional connectivity, trade, and development. It reflected a recognition of the region’s vast economic potential and the need for sustained cooperation to realize long-term prosperity for its people. On the sidelines of this trilateral engagement, Senator Dar met with Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund and the Acting Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani. These meetings marked a continuation of Pakistan’s policy of constructive engagement with Afghanistan, underscoring its interest in stability, economic development, and peace in the neighborhood.
In Brussels, the 10th round of the EU-Pakistan Political Dialogue took place on the same date, with Pakistan’s delegation led by Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch and the EU side headed by Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Olof Skoog. The dialogue covered an extensive range of bilateral, regional, and international issues, including the situations in Gaza, Ukraine, and Jammu and Kashmir. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the 2019 Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP) and agreed to deepen cooperation in areas such as counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, and security. The EU reiterated its continued support for Pakistan under the GSP+ framework, reflecting mutual interest in strengthening trade and development cooperation.
Simultaneously, on 16 July 2025, London hosted the 7th round of the Pakistan-United Kingdom Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament. Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary for Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security, led Islamabad’s delegation, while the UK side was headed by Ambassador Stephen Lillie CMG of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. This round witnessed comprehensive discussions on a spectrum of strategic issues, including global and regional security, non-proliferation, nuclear technology’s peaceful uses, arms control, and disarmament. The dialogue reflected the maturity and continuity of bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United Kingdom in the realm of international security and strategic stability.
In the course of the weekly briefing, Pakistan’s Foreign Office also reiterated the country’s strongest condemnation of recent Israeli military strikes against Syria, labeling them as a gross violation of international law and the UN Charter. The Ministry emphasized that these attacks represent a dangerous and provocative escalation by Israel, carried out with complete impunity. Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Syria. It also called upon the international community to hold Israel accountable and prevent the destabilization of the region through such acts of aggression. Pakistan reaffirmed its solidarity with the Syrian people and underscored its broader regional vision for peace and stability.
Likewise, Pakistan issued another unequivocal condemnation of continued Israeli aggression in Gaza and other Palestinian territories. The Foreign Ministry lamented the deaths of innocent civilians, including the elderly, women, and children, caused by what it described as Israel’s deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure. The statement also accused Israel of blocking access to food, water, and basic humanitarian needs, citing UNRWA data that indicates one in ten children in Gaza is suffering from malnutrition due to the ongoing siege. The Ministry warned of an anthropogenic famine crisis taking root in the enclave and reiterated its calls for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, lifting of the blockade, and urgent delivery of humanitarian aid. Echoing its long-standing position, Pakistan reaffirmed that the only just and sustainable resolution to the Palestinian issue lies in the establishment of a sovereign, viable, contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds-Al-Sharif as its capital.
In conclusion, the developments of the past two weeks, as articulated during the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ weekly press briefing, demonstrate a dynamic and multidimensional approach by Pakistan to navigate an increasingly complex global landscape. Whether through its leadership role at the United Nations Security Council, its regional connectivity initiatives, or its strategic bilateral dialogues, Pakistan has projected a vision of principled diplomacy rooted in international law, development cooperation, peace, and justice. The active diplomatic outreach across various global capitals and institutions reflects Pakistan’s aspiration to be a responsible stakeholder in shaping the regional and international order. At a time of growing global polarization and heightened geopolitical uncertainty, Pakistan’s foreign policy under Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar seeks to anchor its positions on the pillars of multilateralism, peaceful resolution of disputes, and equitable development, while firmly advocating for the rights and dignity of oppressed peoples across the globe.