Pakistan, China call for US-Iran ceasefire as Islamabad joins global AI body

WEB DESK: Pakistan and China on Thursday called for a ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue between the United States and Iran during talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Shanghai.

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang urged all parties to honour their commitments and comply with the ceasefire memorandum of understanding, Reuters reported.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of events marking the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), where Pakistan signed the founding agreement and joined the newly formed international body as a founding member.

Dar signed the agreement on behalf of Pakistan at a ceremony in Shanghai, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Pakistan’s participation reflects its commitment to strengthening international cooperation in artificial intelligence, particularly by highlighting the priorities and development needs of the Global South.

The Foreign Office said Pakistan would use the platform to advocate bridging the global AI divide, expanding equitable access to emerging technologies, strengthening capacity-building and ensuring that artificial intelligence contributes to sustainable development and shared prosperity.

Bridging the AI divide

Through its founding membership, Pakistan aims to collaborate with other WAICO member states to address the global AI divide. The ministry stated that Islamabad seeks to promote equitable access to AI technologies to foster sustainable development and shared prosperity across developing nations.

Senator Dar’s engagements during the visit highlighted the importance of capacity-building and ensuring that the advancements in AI technologies contribute to global development rather than widening existing technological gaps.

The deputy prime minister also commended Chinese President Xi Jinping for his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the organization, noting that President Xi described AI as an asset accumulating the collective wisdom of humanity, which brings both immense promise and a shared responsibility.

Bilateral engagements and CPEC 2.0

The signing took place during Senator Dar’s official visit to Shanghai from July 16 to 17, 2026, which he undertook alongside a delegation at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Aside from signing the WAICO agreement, the deputy prime minister attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance.

On the sidelines, Senator Dar held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, focusing on high-quality development under CPEC 2.0. Key projects discussed included the Siah Diq mining project, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) Realignment Project, and other bilateral priorities agreed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China in May 2025.

The minister was accompanied by a delegation including IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Adviser to the Chief Minister of Punjab on AI Ali Mustafa Dar, Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib, and Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Dr Syed Asad Ali Gillani.

Expressing appreciation to the Chinese leadership, as well as Pakistani diplomatic missions in China for their support, Senator Dar departed Shanghai to return to Islamabad for upcoming diplomatic engagements.

For a broader perspective on the economic potential of Pakistan’s resource and mining initiatives discussed during these bilateral frameworks, you can watch this report on Pakistan’s mining potential, which highlights projects like Siah Diq and Reko Diq.