Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has expressed hope for a permanent ceasefire between the US and Iran, saying that Pakistan is currently trying to make the temporary ceasefire permanent.
Addressing the 6th International Message of Islam Conference organized by the Pakistan Ulema Council in Islamabad, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that it is very important for the challenges the world is going through and the leadership of our scholars and the Muslim Ummah has the responsibility to keep the Ummah united.
He said that Palestine and occupied Jammu and Kashmir are such conflicts, which were, are and will remain our top priority. Regarding Palestine, the Prime Minister raised his voice together with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan in the United Nations, spoke to US President Donald Trump, after which there was a huge reduction in bloodshed, further efforts are underway and special meetings of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) were also held in this regard.
He said that similarly, until the Kashmir issue is freed through a referendum in accordance with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiris themselves, tension will remain in South Asia.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that our enemy has seen us by challenging us and by the grace of Allah, the chiefs of the armed forces have proved that no one can look at Pakistan with a malicious eye.
Ishaq Dar said that when Israel attacked Iran, Pakistan played its full role from February 28 till now. We brought America and Iran to the same table after 47 years. Before that, the talks held through Oman were indirect, sitting separately, one party sitting on one side and the other on the other side.
He said that in the talks held during the last two years, the Foreign Minister of Oman used to take the proposals of both the parties from one to the other and from there he would convey the answers to the other, but we said, you should sit together and talk.
Regarding the talks between Iran and the US, he said that his condition for direct talks was that Pakistan also sat there, then Alhamdulillah Pakistan also sat there, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave this responsibility to me and Field Marshal Asim Munir and National Security Advisor Asim Malik and we held talks with them for 21 hours without any break.
Referring to the war, Nahu said that there were dozens of attacks on each other every day, Israel used to attack Iran, Iran was attacking the Middle East in response, they used to say that Americans were attacking bases, but we made it clear to our brother Iran with all our hearts and tried our best to at least stop what was happening between us.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that we also convinced that every Pakistani’s life is ready for Saudi Arabia and for the protection of the Two Holy Mosques. Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan with the fact that we are the protectors and servants of the Two Holy Mosques and this is not just me but the voice of 240 million people. We may have political differences, but when it comes to the Two Holy Mosques, Mecca and Medina, every Pakistani is ready to sacrifice his life for it at any moment.
Ishaq Dar said that we signed a strategic mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia last year and we definitely told the parties at that time that Saudi Arabia is a no-go area for us, so that anyone looks at it with a malicious eye. We are bound by this agreement. At present, an air squadron of the brave Pakistani forces is present there.
He said that our best efforts were made to hold direct talks and a ceasefire between the US and Iran, which was achieved. First, one was held, then it was extended, then the second extension, and then the third extension, and at least the dozens of people who were being martyred daily and the number was going into the thousands, stopped.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that our efforts are to end this ceasefire with a permanent ceasefire and if there is a gap in the hearts of Muslim countries, they should connect with each other so that there is the same love for each other because if we make efforts together, no one can defeat us. This government of Pakistan is clear in this regard.