ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its position 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 issued earlier in the day, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, during his weekly press briefing, said the anniversary “is not just about remembering the past; it is about shaping the future.”
“The spirit of Marka-e-Haq lives not only in our history, but in each one of us,” he said.
Responding to questions on the future security environment in South Asia, Andrabi said Pakistan had consistently stressed the importance of diplomacy and dialogue to resolve all bilateral disputes with India.
“Pakistan’s position on all bilateral issues with India is based on international law, the UN Charter and relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” he said.
He maintained that Pakistan’s stance 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 do not talk about war. We do not talk about confrontations. We talk about dialogue and diplomacy,” Andrabi said.
At the same time, he warned that Pakistan would respond strongly to any aggression.
“However, if aggression is imposed on us, which took place exactly a year ago, Pakistan will respond, and it will respond with all force and all available means,” he said, adding that the message was “very clear” to Pakistan’s adversary in the neighborhood.
On the US-Iran peace process, the spokesperson said Pakistan remained optimistic about the ongoing diplomatic efforts between Iran and the US, and expressed hope that an agreement could be reached between the two sides “sooner rather than later”.
“We remain optimistic. A simple answer would be that we expect an agreement sooner rather than later,” he said.
His statement came amid reports that Iran and the United States were getting closer to agreeing on a “one-page memorandum” to end the war permanently.
Pakistan remains at the center of secondary diplomacy as Iran and the United States have exchanged messages and proposals through Islamabad.
The spokesperson said Pakistan hoped the parties would reach a “peaceful and sustainable solution” that would bring stability not only to the region but also to the international community at large.
Andrabi, however, declined to share details about the nature or scope of the potential deal and said Pakistan, as a facilitator, was committed to maintaining confidentiality.
“Look, I don’t know if it’s one page or two pages… that would also depend on the font; larger fonts become two pages,” he commented jokingly.
“It is not our place to discuss or divulge details about the substance of the talks,” he added.
“As honest facilitators and mediators, it is up to us to maintain the trust of the respective positions.”
The spokesperson stressed that Islamabad would “jealously guard” any sensitive information related to the negotiations and would not violate the trust reposed in it by any party.
