ISLAMABAD:
Just two days after hosting foreign ministers from Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is heading to Beijing in a move officials say underscores Islamabad’s intensifying diplomatic push to defuse the crisis in the Middle East.
According to a Foreign Ministry statement issued on Monday, Dar will visit China on March 31 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The statement described Pakistan and China as “all-weather strategic partners” and said the visit would allow both sides to hold “in-depth discussions on regional development as well as bilateral and global issues of common interest.”
The State Department also highlighted the urgency attached to the trip, noting that Dar is undertaking the visit despite medical advice to rest after suffering a hairline shoulder fracture, reflecting the importance Islamabad attaches to ties with Beijing.
Diplomatic sources told The Express Pakinomist that the visit is important in the context of Pakistan’s wider mediation efforts, particularly its attempt to bring China more directly into peace diplomacy.
They said Islamabad wants Beijing to use its influence over Tehran to help de-escalate tensions and push Iran toward negotiations.
“China has the capacity to push Tehran towards the negotiating table,” one source said, adding that Beijing could also play a wider role in shaping any eventual deal between the warring sides.
Beijing has already signaled support for Pakistan’s efforts. In a statement, China’s foreign ministry said it “commends and supports Pakistan’s de-escalation mediation efforts” and is ready to improve coordination with Islamabad and other stakeholders to work for a ceasefire and peace
Dar’s move comes amid reports that talks between Iran and the US could take place this week in Islamabad.
The FM, speaking on Sunday after the quad meeting, said Pakistan was preparing for an important meeting and both Iran and the US had expressed confidence in Islamabad’s efforts.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach continued on another front as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with António Costa, President of the European Council, one of the three main leadership positions in the European Union (EU).
In a speech on X, the prime minister said both sides exchanged views on the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East and agreed that “dialogue and diplomacy must prevail” to restore peace and stability. He briefed Costa on Pakistan’s mediation efforts, which the European side welcomed.
The two leaders also discussed strengthening ties between Pakistan and the EU, including the importance of the GSP Plus scheme and the upcoming Pakistan-EU Business Forum in Islamabad later next month.
The Prime Minister also conveyed his good wishes to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In his own statement, Costa said the EU was “deeply concerned” by the prolongation of the war and its growing global impact.
He expressed support for Pakistan’s peace efforts and stressed that “only dialogue and diplomacy can bring peace and stability back to the Middle East,” in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.
The flurry of diplomatic activity reflects Islamabad’s attempt to place itself at the center of mediation efforts, leveraging ties to key regional and global players to push for a negotiated end to the conflict.
