Pakistan has vowed to continue its efforts to promote peace between the US and Iran after the two countries exchanged strikes following a month-long lull in hostilities. "Despite recent escalations, we remain hopeful, and we will continue to strive for dialogue and diplomacy," Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at a weekly press briefing on Wednesday.
Andrabi said both sides had carried out armed attacks and retaliatory strikes in the US-Iran conflict, while Islamabad was closely monitoring the situation. He said armed conflicts typically move through stages of de-escalation, calm, ceasefire and eventually a return to the negotiating table. Describing the current escalation as "concerning and undesirable", he said Pakistan had not lost hope in the peace process.
The spokesperson said the latest US-Iran escalation could not be characterised as a failure of Islamabad's diplomatic efforts, adding that the country was engaging in the peace process with complete sincerity to help resolve the US-Iran conflict. Andrabi said Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir's visit to Tehran last week had been an important part of those diplomatic efforts.
He said the CDF's visit focused on reducing regional tensions and resolving the conflict through negotiations, while creating fresh momentum in the diplomatic process. The spokesperson said visits by the leadership of Oman and Qatar following the Tehran trip also demonstrated momentum in efforts to resolve the conflict. He said Pakistan would continue pursuing dialogue and diplomacy to promote peace and stability in the region.
On the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), Andrabi said the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague had reaffirmed that the treaty remained fully enforced and binding, rejecting India's unilateral attempt to place it in so-called abeyance. He said the unanimous award of the Court of Arbitration constituted an important reaffirmation of the sanctity of the IWT and the rule of international law.
The court had confirmed that India's purported decision to place the treaty in abeyance did not relieve it of its obligations under the agreement, while the treaty's dispute-settlement mechanism remained operative, the spokesperson said. Andrabi said an interim measure concerning the Ratle Hydroelectric Power Project further affirmed that rights and obligations under the treaty could not be altered or displaced through unilateral action.
"Pakistan welcomes these clear and authoritative pronouncements," he said, adding that they validated Islamabad's consistent position that differences concerning the IWT must be addressed strictly within the framework of the treaty and in accordance with international law.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.