Pakistan backs India truce, cautions on use of force
Dar slams Israel, US attacks against Iran as ‘unacceptable’ at SCO
Monitoring Desk
TIANJIN: Pakistan on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire with India while warning against treating the arbitrary use of force as routine, just weeks after the two countries experienced their most intense conflict in decades.
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Tianjin, China, Dar said Pakistan remained fully committed to the regional ceasefire and a balanced security environment.
However, he cautioned that peace could not be achieved if coercion and aggression were allowed to become standard tools of statecraft.
“Today, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to the ceasefire and the cultivation of a stable regional equilibrium,” Dar said. “But we cannot accept that the arbitrary use of force is normalised.”
The foreign minister stressed that all disputes and differences must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, rather than conflict and confrontation. “Initiation of a comprehensive and structured dialogue can meaningfully address the full spectrum of issues that have long bedeviled peace and security in South Asia,” he added.
Dar also emphasised the importance of strictly adhering to bilateral agreements as a prerequisite for restoring regional confidence and preventing future escalations.
Referring to recent tensions in South Asia, Dar said Pakistan had adopted a restrained and responsible approach despite provocative rhetoric and “strategic recklessness” from its neighbor.
“The events unfolding since 22 April 2025 also reaffirm a central truth of South Asian geopolitics… the peaceful settlement of the longstanding unresolved disputes is imperative for an enduring peace in the region,” he added.
He urged the SCO to remain a platform for regional stability based on mutual respect and the sovereign equality of states, stating that durable peace requires resolving unresolved disputes through fair and lawful means.
Pakistan, he noted, was ready to work with all regional partners under the SCO framework to advance peace, development, and connectivity through collective cooperation rather than confrontation.
Dar also slammed last month’s attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran as “unacceptable”. “We have strongly condemned the unjustified and illegitimate aggression by Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the US strikes on its nuclear facilities. Such illegal actions directed against SCO member states are unacceptable,” he added.
Israel, he said: “Israel has shown a reckless disregard for international norms and humanity through its relentless and disproportionate use of force in Gaza, resulting in the death of tens of thousands of civilians causing the worst humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We call for immediate halt to Israel’s atrocities. The only viable remedy to Palestine dispute is the realisation of two-state solution which includes the establishment of Palestine as a viable, secure and contiguous state on the basis of pre-1967 borders with Al Quds as its capital.
On regional issues, FM Dar said Pakistan sought a relationship of peace and stability with all its neighbours.
He also addressed the rising terror activities across the globe, saying that terrorism was the common concern of humanity that threatens the global security.
All forms of terrorism including state terrorism are condemnable, he said, adding: “We must shun the use of terrorism for political purposes and combat this menace through a cooperative approach including addressing its root causes.”
Speaking about Afghanistan, Dar noted that enduring peace and stability in Afghanistan constitute a cornerstone of shared aspiration. “In this context, the revival of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group could serve as a valuable platform for pragmatic and results-oriented cooperation.”
