Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that the government was making all-out efforts to accomplish the country’s journey from only being a nuclear power to becoming an economic power.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, FM Dar gave a roundup of the government’s efforts to bring economic stability and enhance Pakistan’s diplomatic footprints through bilateral and multilateral engagements with the latest one being the beginning of the country’s two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2025-26.
Highlighting the high-level exchanges, and Pakistan’s participation in and hosting of international events, he said the incumbent government had strived to enhance the country’s diplomatic footprint during its first 10 months, which led to the the impression of an “isolated Pakistan” being buried.
FM Dar told the media that following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visits and effective engagements with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Azerbaijan, there were indications of around $29 billion investment coming into Pakistan.
He highlighted Pakistan’s participation in the Nuclear Energy Summit, World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia, the summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Gambia and visits by the Saudi foreign minister, Iran’s late president Ebrahim Raisi and foreign minister.
He said that during all the above interactions, Pakistan had effectively raised the issue of Kashmir and the ongoing Israeli decimation of the Palestinian population. Dar added that Pakistan’s consistent efforts at the OIC summit in Gambia led to the appointment of an OIC envoy on Islamophobia.
He said Pakistan was among the very few countries that strongly advocated the implementation of UN resolutions on Palestine and the International Court of Justice’s ruling on the issue, besides condemning Israel’s barbarism against innocent people.
He added that besides hosting Palestinian medical students, Pakistan also dispatched relief aid to Gaza, Syria and Lebanon.
Regarding his multiple interactions with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, FM Dar said a UK monitoring team was about to visit Pakistan in January which may follow the resumption of flights of Pakistan International Airlines to the United Kingdom, as the European Union had already lifted the ban on the national flag carrier.
Dar said Pakistan’s hosting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit was “well-received and well-praised” and informed the media that the World Muslim League would soon hold an event on education for girls at Jinnah Convention Centre that would be attended by 50 delegates from OIC states, including 30 ministers.
The deputy PM also said that as Pakistan had started its two-year term as a non-permanent UN Security Council member, the country would make efforts to enhance diplomatic outreach, work for dispute resolution and uphold the UN charter.
Responding to a question, FM Dar told the media that Pakistan had eliminated terrorism in 2018 but it resurfaced due to the previous government’s policy of opening the Afghan border and releasing hardcore criminals.
Regarding trade ties with India, he said that “it takes two to tango”, calling upon India to create an environment to help improve the relations.
