Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi has said Pakistan is playing the role of a bridge builder to help de-escalate the current tensions in the Middle East (ME).
At his weekly news briefing in Islamabad today, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said our principled position on issues with respect to sovereignty, international law and the UN charter and dialogue and diplomacy is respected in all regional capitals. He said this allows us to exercise a channel of communication between the relevant capitals.
The spokesperson highlighted that throughout the current wave of conflict, Pakistan has consistently urged interlocutors, particularly relevant countries, to adhere to three key principles: respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, a commitment to refrain from using force within each other’s territories and upholding international law and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, alongside the resumption of dialogue and engagement to achieve a peaceful negotiated resolution to the crisis.
As regards the situation along Pak-Afghan border, the spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan conducted targeted operations with due diligence with the principles of ensuring that no civilian is hurt. He said we have nothing against Afghan citizens emphasizing they are our brothers and sisters. He said we want no harm to them and we will continue to exercise our due diligence in this regard.
Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan has emphatically communicated to Afghan side and to our interlocutors that we need verifiable assurances from Afghan side that their territory would not be used for terrorism against Pakistan. He said since those assurances have not been received, we will continue with our existing policy with respect to that country.
The spokesperson expressed concerns over the long-term uranium supply agreement between Canada and India. He reiterated that this arrangement represents yet another country-specific exception in the field of nuclear cooperation. He emphasized that civilian nuclear cooperation must be governed by non-discriminating, criteria-based approach applicable equally to the states that are non-parties to the nuclear non-proliferation treaties. He said selective exceptions diminish the credibility of global non-proliferation framework and risk further destabilising regional and global peace and security.
