Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said no global force could defeat Pakistan, urging unity across the Muslim world as he represented the country at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders’ meeting in Moscow.
Pakistan Stresses Unity and Stability
Speaking at the summit, Dar said the Muslim ummah must develop cohesion to confront shared challenges. He noted that Pakistan had played “a full and active role” in global efforts to reduce poverty and promote regional cooperation.
Transitioning to regional matters, he emphasized that peace in Afghanistan was the “only path forward,” calling for stability and prosperity in the neighboring nation. Dar said Pakistan had consistently encouraged all Afghan stakeholders to pursue peace.
Multiple High-Level Meetings in Moscow
During his visit on November 17 and 18, Dar held a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin and extended an invitation for him to visit Pakistan.
Officials also discussed the proposal for establishing an SCO bank, exploring mechanisms to strengthen financial cooperation among member states. Dar additionally suggested expanding the use of local currencies for trade and transactions to reduce dependency on external financial systems.
Strengthening Regional Engagement
Dar said Pakistan had visited “various countries” and attended multiple forums to advance diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation. He added that talks with SCO states in Moscow were moving forward and that member nations were working to deepen collaboration.
Throughout the engagements, Dar reiterated that no external power could undermine Pakistan’s resolve, stability, or development trajectory.
Pakistan Urges Action Against TTP
Dar said Pakistan conveyed a clear message to Afghanistan: the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) must be moved away from the border region. He added that Islamabad proposed two options—either Afghanistan relocate TTP militants away from the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier or hand them over to Pakistani authorities.
He noted that Pakistan had also asked Afghanistan to ensure its territory is never used for attacks against Pakistan. Afghan officials, he said, acknowledged that Pakistan had fulfilled its commitments in previous agreements.
Focus on Peace During Kabul Visit
Dar said his visit to Afghanistan focused solely on peace and stability. He stressed that Afghanistan had not fully met its obligations related to counterterrorism, adding that Pakistan remained committed to continued dialogue.
He also said Pakistan signed all pending railway cooperation agreements with Afghanistan, aiming to expand connectivity and regional trade.
EU Strategic Dialogue Covers Kashmir
Transitioning to broader diplomatic engagement, Dar said the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue included discussions on the Kashmir dispute. He emphasized that Pakistan raised concerns about the situation in the region and reiterated its long-standing position.
During the dialogue, he said the EU and Pakistan also discussed NATO relations, with Islamabad expressing interest in maintaining political not military engagement with the alliance.
Positive Movement on GSP+
Dar said conversations with Europe on the renewal of the GSP+ trade scheme were progressing positively. He described the talks as constructive and indicated that both sides were working to strengthen economic ties.
He added that European Union countries were fully briefed on Pakistan’s perspective regarding Afghanistan and regional security, as Islamabad sought stronger cooperation to stabilize the region.
