NEW YORK: Terming his recent interaction with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as cordial, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stressed that Pakistan-US ties “must not be viewed via the lens of China”.
“We stress, and will continue to do so, that Pakistan-US relations must not be viewed via the lens of our relations with iron-clad brother China,” FM Dar said during an interaction with the Pakistani community at the Pakistan Consulate in New York.
“We want strongest relations with the US as well. This is the policy of our government under PM Shehbaz Sharif,” he noted while referring to his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio — the first meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in nine years.
The top diplomat’s remarks are to be interpreted in light of the US-China trade tensions, where the two have slapped tariffs on each other’s goods, and Islamabad’s deep economic and military ties with Beijing and cooperation with Washington in the war against terror.
There has been a visible thaw, marked by US President Donald Trump’s warm reception for Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House last month.
Highlighting key government initiatives, the FM briefed the community on the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which streamlines investment procedures across priority sectors.
He also informed them that the government is actively working toward the early resumption of PIA flights to New York, after restoring routes to Europe and the United Kingdom.
Expressing appreciation for the contributions of the Pakistani-American community to both Pakistan and the US, he acknowledged their vital role in strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing Pakistan’s global image.
Reflecting on his session at the Atlantic Council, FM Dar said that a question was asked about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s incarceration.
“There is record about my dealings [for Aafia’s release] with the then US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2016, 2017. We tried our best.
“These things are not made public; they remain part of the national secret record. No one should tell us that nothing was done for Aafia. I spoke to [Antony] Blinken in 2016 for Aafia. We tried consular, legal and even forgiveness for Aafia,” FM Dar noted.
Separately, in a positive development, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Sunday that Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had activated the arrangements at their airports regarding the visa waivers on diplomatic and official passports.
The visa waivers on the two categories of passports were mutually agreed upon by both countries via a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last month, which was due to take effect 30 days after its signing.
Dar said in an X post, “In my meeting at Abu Dhabi on 24th June 2025 with my brother Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, we agreed mutual visa waivers on diplomatic and official passports between our two brotherly countries.”
“[…] and we both signed a Memorandum of Understanding to make this arrangement effective and operative after 30 days of the signing of the said MoU,” he added.
The foreign minister announced that he was informed by the UAE authorities that the “visa waiver for diplomatic and official Pakistani passports entering the United Arab Emirates has been activated, effective July 25, 2025, at all UAE airports”.
He also confirmed that the “reciprocal arrangements have also been activated for UAE nationals at all Pakistani airports”.
In a move to enhance bilateral ties, Pakistan and the UAE had signed memoranda of understanding on “Mutual Exemption of Entry Visa Requirements” and “Establishment of a Joint Task Force to Promote Investments”.
The brotherly countries also signed an MoU for collaborative work on “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy” during the 12th session of the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) held in Abu Dhabi on June 24 after a gap of 12 years.
A protocol, outlining procedural frameworks for follow-up actions, coordination through sectoral working groups and facilitation for reciprocal visits, was also signed.
Both parties expressed satisfaction with the outcomes and agreed to hold the 13th Session of the JMC in Pakistan on mutually agreed-upon dates.
Meanwhile, Ishaq Dar spoke with Arab News on Pakistan’s unwavering support for urgent need to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A landmark conference, jointly chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, will be held on July 28-30 at the United Nations in New York, aiming to chart a path toward peace and a sovereign Palestinian state.
Dar stressed Pakistan’s long-standing position on the Palestinian issue. “You see, this issue has become already too late to handle,” Dar said. “The attempt by France and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very appreciable. These two countries have taken this initiative. Pakistan has a clear foreign policy for decades, that the two-state solution is the only answer to the Palestine problem.”
Dar laid out Pakistan’s hopes for the summit: “I hope that serious efforts are made during this event, first, to secure an immediate ceasefire, and second, to ensure the unhindered flow of food, humanitarian aid and medical assistance — alongside progress toward the recognition of Palestine as an independent state.”
Acknowledging the devastating conditions in Gaza, Dar described the conference’s potential success: “If we are able to achieve all these objectives, it will be a great success and a highly commendable contribution by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France.”
Beyond diplomatic support, Pakistan has been actively contributing to humanitarian relief. Dar detailed ongoing efforts: “Since the onset of this crisis nearly two years ago, we have, in a humble way, been making efforts to send humanitarian consignments. Initially focused on Gaza, these efforts were later extended to Syria and Lebanon as well.”
He underscored Pakistan’s principled stance: “We fully support the Palestinian cause and their right to self-determination — specifically, the establishment of an independent and contiguous state of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, based on the pre-1967 borders.”
“Our stance has been consistently clear, and we adhere to it with unwavering commitment. We have openly condemned the oppressor and consistently called for accountability,” he added.
Dar also stressed the importance of international law: “We believe that all United Nations resolutions — particularly those of the Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining global peace and security — must be implemented. If these resolutions are respected, the solution becomes clear and achievable.”
On Pakistan’s coordination with Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Dar said: “We seize every opportunity to raise our voice in support of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, whether at the UN General Assembly or the UN Security Council.”
Highlighting Pakistan’s role as president of the UN Security Council in July 2025, he noted, “I chaired the open debate on Palestine yesterday, July 24. Pakistan’s position is absolutely clear — we are firmly on the right side of history and remain steadfast in our support.”
He drew parallels with Kashmir, saying: “We actively engage through all relevant forums — the OIC, G-8, SCO and others — to raise the issues of both Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir, which are decades-old disputes. In the case of Jammu and Kashmir, India has acted in clear violation of UN Security Council and other international resolutions. Similarly, in the case of Palestine, the core problem remains the same: a lack of respect for UN resolutions.”
With the Middle East’s volatility rising, and the shadow of conflict spreading, Pakistan plans to leverage its UN Security Council presidency to advocate diplomacy over violence. “The solution to conflicts does not lie in kinetic actions — wars and violence. The real path forward is through dialogue and diplomacy, and we are firm believers in this approach,” Dar asserted.
He highlighted a recent Security Council open debate under Pakistan’s presidency on the “peaceful settlement of disputes,” which achieved a rare consensus.
“This resolution outlines the role that multilateral institutions should play, reflecting what we aim to achieve. For example, on my wish list — may Allah make it a reality soon — is an immediate ceasefire, followed by the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Gaza.”
He acknowledged the scale of destruction, saying: “The destruction is massive. (Gaza) has been virtually raised to the ground.”
Dar stressed Pakistan’s willingness to contribute to post-conflict reconstruction, leveraging its expertise: “The Arab League and the OIC are committed, and as members of the OIC, we will contribute whatever expertise we have — in health care, education, governance and more — to support our brothers and sisters.”
When asked about accountability for war crimes and violations in Gaza, Dar was unequivocal. “Pakistan has already raised its voice in OIC and other forums,” he said. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and myself as deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan, we have been raising this voice very clearly and been putting the blame where it should be by name.”
Noting the limited impact of past international judicial rulings, Dar added, “Now, when it comes to action and accountability, we both know that the International Court of Justice delivered its (decision) last year, but unfortunately, it was largely ignored.”
He stressed the urgency of reform. “This is where the international law and order is breaking down. That’s why we believe UN reforms are crucial, and the initiative of the UN secretary-general — UN80 — is highly relevant.”
Dar lamented the targeting of journalists covering the conflict: “Journalists are also paying a heavy price in Israel. They have been declared persona non grata and targeted, with many losing their lives. This is deeply unfortunate, and this genocide must end as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar spoke with the Foreign Minister of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
Both leaders discussed the grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza impacting millions of Palestinian residents. The DPM/FM reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people and called for immediate and unhindered humanitarian access. He expressed the hope of achieving meaningful outcomes from the high-level international conference on Palestine and implementation of the two-state solution scheduled to be held in New York.
They also exchanged views regarding an exchange of a high-level visit to Pakistan in the near future.
