- Demands that India immediately cancel the pause in the Indus Waters Treaty.
- Reports “deliberate aggression” in Asian Asia and says peace needs IIOJK resolution.
- Says multilateralism under siege; The international system remains fragmented.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has warned that India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) poses “a real threat to regional stability”, urging an immediate reversal while calling for water to remain “a source of cooperation and not a weapon for political ends”.
Speaking at the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum roundtable, Dar said South Asia was once again facing “deliberate acts of aggression endangering peace and security”, adding that some regional actors were engaging in “accusations, inflammatory rhetoric, inciting war hysteria and then using it as a pretext for unilateral aggression and actions”.
He appreciated what he described as the “constructive role” played by international partners, including the EU High Representative, in efforts to calm the recent escalation.
Dar stressed that lasting peace in South Asia remains impossible without a peaceful resolution of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) conflict, saying it must be aligned with “relevant UN Security Council resolutions and Kashmir’s aspirations”.
Turning to Afghanistan, the foreign minister said the country “remains an important relationship for Pakistan and regional stability.” He reiterated Islamabad’s desire for a “peaceful, stable, friendly, connected and prosperous Afghanistan”, urging the Afghan Taliban regime “to act responsibly, honor its commitments and work to eradicate terrorism from its soil”.
Earlier, Dar opened his speech by describing a world under increasing tension – from rising conflicts and great power rivalries to food insecurity, inflation, cyber threats and AI-driven disruption. “We are at a pivotal moment,” he said. “Yet our collective capacity to respond is weakening. Multilateralism is under siege; our international system remains fragmented.”
He argued that the Indo-Pacific should not become the scene of great power rivalry. “Constructs like the Indo-Pacific neglect the geographic, historical and cultural realities of the region,” he said, insisting that “inclusiveness, not exclusivity, must guide our cooperative approach.”
Dar also highlighted Pakistan’s presidency of the UN Security Council in July, during which Islamabad spearheaded resolution 2788 (2025) aimed at strengthening mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of disputes. Pakistan’s broader security outlook, he said, aims “to maximize convergences and minimize divergences through dialogue, connectivity and peaceful resolution of disputes”.
Regarding the situation in the Middle East, Dar condemned the continued violence in Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian lands. He welcomed the peace agreement signed in Sharm el-Sheikh thanks to the efforts led by President Donald Trump and Arab-Islamic countries. Pakistan, he said, supported the latest UN Security Council resolution on Gaza, hoping it would lead to “a permanent cessation of hostilities, Israeli withdrawal, unhindered humanitarian access and reconstruction.”
“Our policy is based on the importance of a credible and time-bound political process,” he said, reiterating Pakistan’s support for an independent and contiguous Palestinian state, based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Addressing the conflict in Ukraine, Dar said the war had disrupted global food and energy markets “with real consequences for our people.” Pakistan’s position, he stressed, “is anchored in the Charter of the United Nations” and Islamabad hopes for a peaceful resolution.
Dar concluded by citing the European Union model of cooperation as an example of how inclusiveness can bring peace and prosperity. Pakistan, he said, views regional connectivity as its own path, positioning itself as a hub connecting Asia and Europe. He said synergies between the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the EU Global Gateway could help build “green, digital and transport corridors” that support a more interconnected EU-Asia-Pacific region.
