ISLAMABAD:
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday outlined the details of his recent foreign visits and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthen international partnerships.
Addressing the press, Dar mentioned that he held an important meeting with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and discussed key global issues including Pakistan-India conflict and mounting tension between Iran and Israel.
He called his diplomatic missions, that began in July this year, a great achievement and emphasised positive results of the meetings with the international partners. He also addressed a misunderstanding stemming from his participation in a session at the American think tank, The Atlantic.
Clarifying the controversy, Dar explained that during the Q&A segment, he was asked about the May 9 trials. In response he mentioned, Pakistan has an independent judiciary and such matters rest with the courts, not with the government.
Dar highlighted a series of other diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing Pakistan’s global standing. He also detailed his trip to the United Kingdom, where he held talks with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
Among the key outcomes, Dar announced the lifting of the UK’s ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), with flights scheduled to resume in September. He also revealed that the passport processing system at the Pakistan High Commission in London has been streamlined into a single-window operation.
Dar also touched on regional connectivity initiatives, including his recent engagement in Kabul. He spoke about the proposed railway line linking Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan, acknowledging concerns about financing but assuring that China has pledged support.
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Referring to attending the signing ceremony of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link under the Uzbek–Afghan–Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor in Kabul, Dar mentioned that this project, along with a new highway from Peshawar to Kabul, will be integrated into CPEC 2.0, which is now being extended to Afghanistan.
Turning to China, Dar described the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as a milestone, reiterating the ‘iron-clad friendship’ between the two countries. Both sides formally launched CPEC 2.0, committing to expand cooperation under the all-weather strategic partnership.
Dar announced plans to establish economic corridors in Karachi for Chinese businesses and highlighted ongoing collaboration in Gwadar.
