The spokesperson said Prime Minister Shehbaz will visit China from May 23 to 26 and meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to strengthen relations
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Anbrabi speaks during a press briefing, May 22, 2026.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday refused to confirm or deny reports that Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir is visiting Iran, without commenting amid an active week of Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement in the region.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi neither confirmed nor denied the alleged visit to Tehran. The development came as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid two visits to Iran on May 16 and 20, during which he met Iranian leaders.
Meanwhile, Andrabi announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26 at the invitation of the Chinese government.
He said the visit assumes “special significance” as the two countries mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and would provide an opportunity to reaffirm the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China.
According to the spokesperson, Prime Minister Shehbaz is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. “The two sides will review bilateral relations and cooperation in political, economic and strategic fields, with particular emphasis on high-quality development, trade, investment, industrial cooperation, agricultural modernization, information technology, science and technology and people-to-people exchanges,” he said.
The Prime Minister will begin his visit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, where he will chair a Pakistan-China business conference covering sectors such as IT, telecommunications, energy, energy storage and agriculture. In Beijing, he will also attend a reception hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries to mark the anniversary celebrations.
“This visit is expected to further strengthen and deepen political trust, strategic coordination, expand practical cooperation and consolidate the long-standing friendship between the two countries,” Andrabi said.
Responding to questions, the spokesperson said the ongoing talks between the United States and Iran could also be raised during Prime Minister Shehbaz’s meetings with Chinese leaders.
He added that Pakistan and China already shared an established trust in Middle East affairs and recalled that the two sides had agreed on a five-point agenda during the recent visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to China.
The spokesperson said Pakistan continues its diplomatic efforts towards peace, dialogue and de-escalation amid tensions in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
He further noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz held two telephone conversations over the past week with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during which the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and regional developments, particularly the situation in the Middle East and Pakistan’s peace efforts.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable path towards lasting peace and stability.
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Andrabi added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also remained actively engaged with his regional counterparts as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts.
On May 18, Dar held a telephone conversation with Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, while on May 17 he spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty regarding regional developments and multilateral engagement.
On May 16, Dar also spoke with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov about bilateral relations and regional affairs.
The spokesperson further reaffirmed Pakistan’s condemnation of the two drone attacks carried out on May 17 against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, expressing solidarity with the two countries.
Referring to the attack involving the UAE, Anbrabi warned: “Any deliberate targeting of nuclear facilities constitutes a serious violation of international law.” He added: “Nuclear facilities should not be targeted under any circumstances, and we hope that this tragic and serious incident will not be repeated. »
The spokesperson also paid tribute to Kashmiri leaders Mirwaiz Maulvi Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone, who were martyred on May 21, 1990 and 2002 respectively. He also remembered the 70 Kashmiris killed while carrying Farooq’s coffin.
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“The lack of accountability for the horrific killings of innocent Kashmiris and their leaders remains a latent injustice and a chilling example of the blatant impunity that defines the deplorable human rights situation in the IIOJK. [Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir]”said the spokesperson.
He urged the international community and the United Nations to take cognizance of the situation and ensure a just resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
Andrabi further said that Pakistan welcomed the safe arrival in Istanbul of all detainees from the Global Sumud flotilla intercepted by Israel, including Saad Edhi, and thanked the Turkish government for its support.
He also noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz and Ishaq Dar received a delegation of senior Bangladeshi officials visiting Pakistan under the Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor Initiative for a three-week program at the Civil Service Academy, Lahore.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and Russia held the 16th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Consultative Group on Strategic Stability on May 18 in Moscow, with both sides agreeing to strengthen cooperation in international forums, the spokesperson added.
