Hina Khar calls for dialogue to end Ukraine conflict

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s policy on relations with major powers has always been consistent and the country wants balanced, objective, and broad-based relations, based on mutual interest, benefit and respect with all major powers, including the US, China and Russia. This was the key message at a seminar on ‘Russia-Ukraine War: A Crisis beyond Borders’ organised by the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) held here on Thursday. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar was the keynote speaker, while other eminent panelists included Ambassador Riaz Khokhar, former Foreign Secretary, Lieutenant General Aamer Riaz (Retd), President, Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS); Dr Usman W. Chohan, Director (Economic Affairs & National Development), CASS; and international security analyst Squadron Leader Fahad Masood (Retd). CASS President Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan (Retd) chaired the seminar, while ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, advisor (Foreign Policy) moderated the proceedings.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar stressed that war and conflict was not in anyone’s favour. “Its impacts and repercussions were devastating and long-lasting even when the conflict ended,” she added, highlighting that Pakistan understood the trials and tribulations of war having experienced the same for a decade on its own borders. She stressed that Pakistan continued to call for immediate cessation of hostilities and the need for diplomacy and dialogue for an early, negotiated end to the Ukraine conflict.

Expressing concern at the increasing number of casualties on both sides, deteriorating humanitarian situation, and refugee crisis, she reiterated Pakistan’s principled stance of consistent application of UN Charter principles – including primacy, universality of the application of international law without exceptions, indispensability of equal security for all, and diplomatic settlement of disputes in order to ensure lasting peace and security. “Pakistan followed a non-partisan position in the current crisis. This has remained our consistent position, regardless of the government in power. We are a sovereign state and cannot be forced to take sides,’ she said.

Answering a question, Ms Khar pointed out that Pakistan has always wanted friendly and cooperative relations with its neighbours, including India, and a result-oriented and meaningful dialogue that can lead to progress on outstanding issues between the two sides. ‘However, she said the environment for such dialogue does not exist since India had gone rogue. The onus is, therefore, on India to take necessary steps to create an environment conducive for dialogue.’