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FO remains silent on Army Chief’s reported Iran visit amid regional diplomacy push
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WEB DESK: The Foreign Office on Friday declined to confirm or deny reports surrounding a purported visit to Tehran by the Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to The Express Tribune.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi offered no comment on the matter, despite intense speculation during a remarkably active week of regional diplomatic engagements for Pakistan.
The development follows two recent visits to Iran by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on 16 May and 20 May, during which he held high-level talks with the Iranian leadership.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to undertake an official visit to China from 23 to 26 May at the invitation of the Chinese government.
Describing the upcoming trip as holding “special significance,” Andrabi noted that it coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, providing a pivotal opportunity to reaffirm the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
PM Sharif is slated to hold bilateral discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, focusing on political, economic, and strategic cooperation, alongside trade, investment, and technological modernisation.
Expanding diplomatic horizons and Middle East peace efforts
The Prime Minister will launch his itinerary in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, where he is set to chair a Pakistan-China Business-to-Business Conference spanning the IT, telecom, and energy sectors.
Moving to Beijing, he will attend an anniversary reception hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
Responding to media queries, Andrabi suggested that ongoing US-Iran talks could feature in the Prime Minister’s discussions with the Chinese leadership, highlighting the established trust between Islamabad and Beijing on Middle Eastern affairs following Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s recent visit to China.
In parallel to these developments, Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic outreach aimed at de-escalation in the Gulf region.
PM Sharif recently held two telephonic conversations with the Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to discuss bilateral ties and regional stability.
Concurrently, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has remained actively engaged with his international counterparts, holding crucial phone calls with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov.
Condemning regional aggression and remembering Kashmir
Addressing recent security breaches in the Gulf, the Foreign Office strongly condemned two drone attacks executed on 17 May targeting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Expressing solidarity with both nations, Andrabi raised alarm over the incident involving the UAE, warning that any deliberate targeting of nuclear facilities constitutes a grave violation of international law.
He emphasised that nuclear installations must remain sacrosanct under all circumstances and expressed hope that such dangerous incidents would not recur.
Turning to regional human rights concerns, the spokesperson paid solemn tribute to martyred Kashmiri leaders Mirwaiz Maulvi Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone.
He criticised the “brazen impunity” surrounding the human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), calling upon the United Nations and the international community to resolve the dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
On a separate note, the Foreign Office welcomed the safe arrival of Global Sumud Flotilla detainees including Saad Edhi in Istanbul, expressing gratitude to the Turkish government, whilst also highlighting ongoing bilateral engagements with Bangladesh and Russia.
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