‘Pakistan is very close to my heart’: Guterres praises Islamabad’s diplomacy, meets Dar

ISLAMABAD: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised Pakistan’s diplomatic and mediation efforts after meeting Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on Tuesday, the first day of a three-day official visit. He said Pakistan was playing a very important mediating role in two of the world’s most severe conflicts and had earned the credibility to be accepted by both sides.

Guterres is in Pakistan at Dar’s invitation. Acting Foreign Secretary Nabeel Munir received him on arrival, according to the Foreign Office spokesperson. The visit will continue until Oct 8.

Talks with Dar

According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, the two men exchanged views on regional and global peace and security, including Palestine, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Afghanistan, counterterrorism and the future of the multilateral system.

Dar briefed the UN chief on Pakistan’s position on IIOJK and the Indus Waters Treaty, and reiterated Pakistan’s call for a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with Security Council resolutions.

He also outlined Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts for dialogue and de-escalation, saying Pakistan had facilitated the Islamabad talks between the United States and Iran. Dialogue and diplomacy, he said, were the most effective means of resolving conflicts.

Guterres appreciated Pakistan’s long-standing service to the United Nations and praised its efforts for dialogue, mediation and de-escalation, the spokesperson said.

‘Very close to my heart’

Speaking to journalists, Guterres said he could not complete his term without returning to Pakistan. “Pakistan is very close to my heart,” he said. He was asked about the purpose of his second visit and about Pakistan’s role in efforts to bring peace between Washington and Tehran. He last visited in 2022, when he toured areas hit by that year’s devastating floods.

Guterres said Pakistan was acting as a key mediator in two intense conflicts, one in the Gulf and the wider Middle East and the other the war in Ukraine.

“Pakistan has shown remarkable facilitation and built the credibility that makes it acceptable to both sides,” he said. “Pakistan has done what is very difficult in a divided world today.”

Memories of the refugee response

Recalling his decade as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Guterres said he had seen how Pakistanis welcomed Afghan refugees. “Pakistan shared everything it had with Afghan refugees. It was an incredible example of generosity and solidarity,” he said.

He said he had also visited during difficult moments, when terrorists had advanced south, almost to the vicinity of Islamabad, and that he saw Pakistanis helping one another and supporting displaced people with courage and resolve. He said he was once again seeing that resilience in the fight against terrorism. “Obviously, terrorism is unacceptable in all circumstances,” he said. “I am extremely pleased to be back in Islamabad.”

Programme of the visit

Guterres will visit the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to observe Pakistan’s preparedness for natural disasters, and the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). According to the UN spokesperson, he will also discuss Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the United States and Iran and the broader regional situation with Pakistani authorities.