PM Shehbaz reiterates Islamabad's call for collective efforts to end Middle East conflict
File PHOTO: APP
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reaffirmed Islamabad’s call for collective efforts to end ongoing hostilities in the Middle East "that were causing heavy loss of life, economy and property not only in Iran, but across several brotherly Muslim countries." The premier stated this in a post on X while expressing his pleasure at meeting the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt, following a quadrilateral meeting held on Sunday by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar regarding the ongoing Middle East conflict.
PM Shehbaz shared details of his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty.
It was a pleasure to receive H.E. Mr. Hakan Fidan, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Turkiye and H.E. Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Foreign Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt, this evening.
I stressed upon the need for collective efforts to urgently bring an end to hostilities that…Along with calling for an urgent halt to hostilities, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s “strong commitment and resolve to play a positive role in bringing both Iran and the US to the negotiating table,” appreciating Turkiye and Egypt’s “valuable contributions” to the matter.
Shehbaz concluded by expressing gratitude for the countries’ “confidence in Pakistan’s sincere efforts for regional peace and stability.”
In a separate post on X, Shehbaz stated, “It was a pleasure to receive His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan this evening,” adding that he conveyed his regards to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It was a pleasure to receive His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan this evening.
I conveyed my respectful regards to His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and warm greetings to my brother His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince.
I reaffirmed Pakistan’s…“I reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Kingdom and appreciated Saudi Arabia’s remarkable restraint in these challenging times,” PM Shehbaz stated. He highlighted the importance of unity among Islamic countries and recognised Saudi Arabia’s leading role in the Muslim Ummah.
“We agreed to remain in close coordination in our shared pursuit of peace and stability in the region,” the post concluded.
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Following the conclusion of the four-way talks, the visiting dignitaries departed Islamabad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on X early Monday morning.
The Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye departed Islamabad at the conclusion of Quadrilateral consultations. pic.twitter.com/0cj2EPRWNJ
Yesterday's meeting concluded with initial discussions reportedly focused on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. Foreign ministers from the three regional powers landed in Islamabad for the talks. The discussions came as Iran warned the US against launching a ground attack and global oil prices surged amid continued fighting between Iran, the US and Israel.
The countries meeting in Pakistan have floated proposals to Washington tied to maritime traffic and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as part of wider efforts to stabilise shipping flows.
The Strait of Hormuz was previously a conduit for about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, but Iran has effectively halted shipping flows through it in response to the US and Israeli air strikes that began a month ago.
Pakistan, which like Turkiye borders Iran, has leveraged its close ties to both Tehran and Washington to emerge as a key diplomatic channel in the conflict, while Ankara and Cairo have also played a role.
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A source from Pakistan said proposals, including from Egypt, had been forwarded to the White House by the countries before Sunday's meeting and that they included Suez Canal-style fee structures.
Two other Pakistani sources said Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia could form a consortium to manage oil flows through the waterway, and had asked Pakistan to participate. The first Pakistani source said Islamabad had not been formally asked to join and maintains that it will not.
The proposal for a management consortium had been discussed with the US and Iran, the sources said.
After the four-way talks, in a televised statement, Dar announced that Islamabad could host high-stakes talks between Iran and the US "in the coming days". "I briefed the visiting brother foreign ministers about the prospects of potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad. The visiting foreign ministers expressed their fullest support for this initiative," Dar said.
Further, he stated, "Pakistan will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides for a comprehensive and lasting settlement," adding that both Tehran and Washington had expressed confidence in Islamabad's role as a neutral facilitator.