ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its stance on regional peace and relations with India on the first anniversary of ‘Marka-e-Haq’, describing it as a defining moment in the country’s national journey.
Citing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s message earlier in the day, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at his weekly press briefing that the anniversary “was not just about remembering the past; it was also about shaping the future.”
“The spirit of Marka-e-Haq lives not only in our history, but also in each of us,” he said.
Responding to questions on the future security environment in South Asia, Andrabi said Pakistan has always emphasized the importance of diplomacy and dialogue to resolve all bilateral disputes with India.
“Pakistan’s position on all bilateral issues with India is anchored in international law, the United Nations Charter and relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” he said.
He argued that Pakistan’s position on issues ranging from Jammu and Kashmir to river waters, arms control, disarmament and humanitarian issues involving prisoners was rooted in legal and political legitimacy.
“When we approach our bilateral relations with India with such legal and political validity, we are not talking about war. We are not talking about clashes. We are talking about dialogue and diplomacy,” Andrabi said.
At the same time, he warned that Pakistan would respond forcefully to any aggression.
“However, if an aggression, which took place exactly a year ago, is imposed on us, Pakistan will respond, and it will respond with all available force and means,” he said, adding that the message was “broadly clear” to Pakistan’s adversary in the neighborhood.
On the US-Iran peace process, the spokesperson said Pakistan remains optimistic about the ongoing diplomatic efforts between Iran and the US, expressing hope that an agreement between the two sides could be reached “as soon as possible”.
“We remain optimistic. A simple answer would be that we hope for an agreement as soon as possible,” he said.
His statement comes amid reports that Iran and the United States are moving closer to agreeing on a “one-page memo” to permanently end the war.
Pakistan remains at the center of backdoor diplomacy as messages and proposals were exchanged between Iran and the United States through Islamabad.
The spokesperson said Pakistan hoped the parties would reach a “peaceful and lasting solution” that would bring stability not only to the region but also to the international community as a whole.
Andrabi, however, declined to share details about the nature or scope of a possible deal, saying Pakistan, as facilitator, was committed to maintaining confidentiality.
“Look, I don’t know if it’s one page or two pages… it also depends on the font; a larger font can fit two pages,” he remarked jokingly.
“It is not our place to discuss or disclose details of the content of the negotiations,” he added.
“As an honest facilitator and mediator, it is our responsibility to maintain the trust of each other’s positions.”
The spokesperson stressed that Islamabad would “jealously guard” any sensitive information related to the negotiations and would not break the trust reposed in it by both sides.
