\u201cPakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to the ceasefire and the cultivation of a stable regional equilibrium,\u201d says Dar
\n Tianjin
\nPakistan has reiterated its commitment to maintaining the ceasefire with India but cautioned against normalising the arbitrary use of force, weeks after the two neighbours saw their worst conflict in decades.
\nSpeaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Tianjin, China, Dar said Pakistan remained fully committed to the regional ceasefire and a balanced security environment.
\nHowever, he cautioned that peace could not be achieved if coercion and aggression were allowed to become standard tools of statecraft.
\n\u201cToday, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to the ceasefire and the cultivation of a stable regional equilibrium,\u201d Dar said. \u201cBut we cannot accept that the arbitrary use of force is normalised.\u201d
\nThe heaviest fighting in decades between Pakistan and India was sparked by an April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. New Delhi blamed Pakistan for the attack, a charge denied by Islamabad.
\nIn response to India\u2019s cross-border strikes, Pakistan had launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos after downing six Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafales in response to Indian aggression.
\nThe two countries, following four days of armed conflict, agreed on a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10.
\nDuring his address today, the foreign minister stressed that all disputes and differences must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, rather than conflict and confrontation. \u201cInitiation of a comprehensive and structured dialogue can meaningfully address the full spectrum of issues that have long bedeviled peace and security in South Asia,\u201d he added.
\nDar also emphasised the importance of strictly adhering to bilateral agreements as a prerequisite for restoring regional confidence and preventing future escalations.
\nReferring to recent tensions in South Asia, Dar said Pakistan had adopted a restrained and responsible approach despite provocative rhetoric and \u201cstrategic recklessness\u201d from its neighbor.
\n\u201cThe events unfolding since 22 April 2025 also reaffirm a central truth of South Asian geopolitics\u2026 the peaceful settlement of the longstanding unresolved disputes is imperative for an enduring peace in the region,\u201d he added.
\nHe urged the SCO to remain a platform for regional stability based on mutual respect and the sovereign equality of states, stating that durable peace requires resolving unresolved disputes through fair and lawful means.
\nPakistan, he noted, was ready to work with all regional partners under the SCO framework to advance peace, development, and connectivity through collective cooperation rather than confrontation.
\n\u2018Stabilising force\u2019
\nMeanwhile, the foreign minister reiterated that Pakistan values the SCO as a platform of immense political, strategic and economic importance.
\n\u201cAt a time when the global order is experiencing profound challenges, SCO has emerged as a stabilising force,\u201d he said, noting that its inclusive approach underscoring the sovereign equality of states and seeking peaceful resolutions to disputes, offers a compelling alternative to aggression, confrontation and zero-sum rivalries.
\n\u201cThe SCO\u2019s commitment to consensus, development, and mutual respect is a beacon of hope for building a better and equitable world.\u201d
\nHe reaffirmed Pakistan\u2019s adherence to the goals and principles of Charters of the UN, the SCO and other universally recognised principles and norms of international law.
\n\u201cIn our pursuit to peace and security, we believe in non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs; non-use of force or threat of its use in international relations, as well as seeking no unilateral military superiority in the region,\u201d he added.
\n\u201cWe emphasise on resolution of longstanding disputes through peaceful means, dialogue, diplomacy and according to the principles of international law, justice and fairness.\u201d
\nRecognising the need to strengthen SCO structures in line with contemporary requirements and evolving challenges, Dar said that Pakistan supports the ongoing modernisation process and remains constructively engaged in its advancement. \u201cThe establishment of four new Centers dealing with various aspects of security would strengthen cooperation among SCO countries.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cPakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to the ceasefire and the cultivation of a stable regional equilibrium,\u201d says Dar Tianjin Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to maintaining the ceasefire with India but cautioned against normalising the arbitrary use of force, weeks after the two neighbours saw their worst conflict in decades. Speaking at the Shanghai […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":490452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-490457","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n