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Arab News
3 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Russia urges normal India-Pakistan ties, eyes deeper counterterrorism cooperation with Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday called for normal relations between India and Pakistan and expressed interest in closer counterterrorism cooperation with Islamabad during a meeting with a senior aide of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Moscow. The meeting came as Syed Tariq Fatemi, special assistant to the prime minister, began a visit to Russia weeks after India and Pakistan exchanged missiles, drones and artillery fire, following heightened tensions that ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10. Pakistan has since call for a 'composite dialogue' with India to discuss all outstanding issues, though New Delhi has rejected direct talks after Washington said the two countries had agreed to meet at a neutral venue to defuse tensions. Both sides have also formed delegations to present their respective positions over the conflict to the international community. 'At the outset of his visit to the Russian Federation, Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) called on Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, this afternoon,' Pakistan's embassy in Moscow said in a statement. 'He also briefed the Russian Foreign Minister, in detail, about the recent developments in South Asia, conveying Pakistan's perspective on the dangers of escalation as well as the dire consequences of India's threat to reduce the flow of the Indus Waters Treaty, by holding the Treaty in a so-called 'abeyance.'' 'Foreign Minister Lavrov stressed Russia's support for promotion of normal relations between the two countries and its positive effect in the region,' the statement added. Fatemi also delivered a letter from Prime Minister Sharif to President Vladimir Putin and conveyed Pakistan's desire to expand cooperation with Russia in areas including energy, trade and connectivity. Lavrov, for his part, expressed satisfaction over the 'steadily growing bilateral cooperation' and cited specific initiatives, including new steel mills and connectivity projects. 'He [Lavrov] also stated that Russia looked forward to working closely with Pakistan, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), especially in the field of counter-terrorism,' the embassy said. Russia and Pakistan have strengthened ties in recent years through growing bilateral cooperation, particularly in energy, and by working together on regional platforms such as the SCO, where both are full members.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive' dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys
ISLAMABAD: A high-level Pakistani delegation set up by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week briefed members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the United Nations, calling for the resumption of a 'comprehensive dialogue' with India to resolve the Kashmir dispute and other issues, Pakistan's mission to the UN said. Led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the nine-member parliamentary delegation arrived in New York on Monday as the first stop in a diplomatic mission to present Pakistan's position in world capitals following Islamabad's recent military conflict with India. The group headed by Bhutto Zardari will visit New York, Washington DC, London and Brussels. Another delegation, led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, will also visit Moscow. Tensions between Pakistan and India are high after they struck a ceasefire on May 10 following the most intense military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades. Both countries accuse the other of supporting militancy on each other's soil — a charge both capitals deny. The latest escalation last month took place following weeks of tensions after India blamed Pakistan for supporting an April 22 attack on the Kashmir territory it governs that killed 26 tourists. Pakistan denied involvement in the incident and called for an international probe. Both countries traded missiles, artillery fire and drone strikes before Washington brokered a ceasefire on May 10. 'He [Bhutto Zardari] reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to peace, restraint, and diplomacy, and called for the restoration of the Indus Waters Treaty, full respect for the ceasefire, and the resumption of a comprehensive dialogue with India, with the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute at its core,' Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations said in a statement on Monday. Following the attack at the Pahalgam tourist resort in April, India suspended the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. The move drew a sharp response from Islamabad, which said any attempts to divert or stop the flow of its waters by India would be considered an 'act of war.' About 80 percent of Pakistani farms depend on the Indus system, as do nearly all hydropower projects serving the country of some 250 million. 'Mr. Bhutto expressed grave concern at the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — a move that Pakistan considers a blatant act of weaponizing water and a violation of international and treaty obligations,' the statement said. The former Pakistani foreign minister thanked OIC countries for their efforts and role aimed at de-escalation, mediation and ceasefire during the conflict. He highlighted that the only path to peace was in dialogue, engagement and diplomacy. 'Mr. Bilawal Bhutto underlined that OIC has emerged as the moral conscience of the world in these difficult times and thanked the OIC member states for their steadfast support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,' the statement said. The statement said that the OIC's permanent representatives appreciated Pakistan's briefing and reaffirmed their solidarity with the country. 'They reiterated their concern over the worsening security situation in South Asia and stressed the importance of upholding the principles of the UN Charter and international law and in this regard, the sanctity of treaties, including the Indus Waters Treaty,' Pakistan's permanent mission to the UN said.
Express Tribune
30-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Pakistan reaffirms commitment to UN Charter
Syed Tariq Fatemi is a retired diplomat and has long association with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). PHOTO: FILE Prime Minister's Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi held a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York. According to a statement of the Pakistani Mission to the UN, the special assistant underscored Pakistan's longstanding commitment to adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, including UN peacekeeping efforts. Fatemi expressed hope that the Pact for the Future, which the world leaders adopted in September last, will be fully implemented, meeting the financing needs of the developing countries to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and climate targets.
Arab News
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan PM's aide meets UN chief, stresses need to oppose proposals for expulsion of Palestinians
ISLAMABAD: Tariq Fatemi, a special assistant to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has stressed the need to oppose any proposals for the expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland, Pakistan's mission at the United Nations (UN) said on Saturday, following Fatemi's meeting with Secretary-General António Guterres. During his meeting, Fatemi briefed the UN secretary-general about Pakistan's priorities during its term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council that began last month, according to the Pakistani mission. He reaffirmed Islamabad's strong support for the UN's central role in addressing global challenges, including those related to peace and security, development and climate change. 'SAPM [special assistant to the prime minister] said that the world community should call upon Israel to end its brutal campaign of violence and terror against the hapless Palestinians,' the Pakistani mission said in a statement. '[He] stressed the need for strongly opposing proposals for the expulsion of the Palestinians from their homeland.' The development comes more than a month after remarks by United States (US) President Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu about the relocation of Palestinians to Egypt, Jordan or other countries, which were rejected by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and other nations apart from being condemned by international rights groups. Palestinian territory – encompassing the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem – has been occupied by Israel since 1967. Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has consistently called for an independent Palestinian state based on 'internationally agreed parameters.' During the meeting, Fatemi also underscored Pakistan's longstanding commitment to adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, including UN peacekeeping efforts, according to the Pakistani mission. 'Secretary-General Guterres thanked the SAPM for Pakistan's active engagement at the United Nations and its role in maintaining international peace and security through its contribution toward UN Peacekeeping,' the Pakistani mission added.
