Prime MInister Shehbaz Sharif. SCREENGRAB
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said Pakistan had brought the United States and Iran “under one roof” for negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict that had engulfed the wider region.
Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the prime minister highlighted the US-Israel attack on Iran, which he said led to the resumption of the war earlier this year, calling it an “unfortunate incident”.
“Unfortunately, conflict engulfed the Gulf along with the wider Middle East. Precious lives were lost, economies suffered, critical maritime routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, came under severe pressure,” he said, highlighting Pakistan’s efforts to resolve the conflict.
He said that at the critical juncture, Pakistan had chosen to act swiftly and successfully brought Washington and Tehran “under one roof”.
“From the Islamabad talks to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, many historic steps were taken to bring an end to this serious conflict,” he said.
The prime minister, who was speaking at the session for the fourth consecutive year, also appreciated the efforts of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying his “relentless efforts” had helped create space for diplomacy while also hailing the efforts of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Regretting the dangerous surge in hostilities and drone strikes, he said the voice for diplomacy must “echo even louder and stronger”, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb were arteries of the global economy and must remain open.
“The Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb are arteries of the global economy; they must remain open,” he said, adding that nations connected through these routes must not allow them to become “choke points of confrontation”.
The prime minister categorically condemned the recent Houthi strikes against Saudi Arabia, saying the attempted drone attack on the holy city of Makkah had outraged Muslims across the globe.
“Any threat to the safety and sanctity of the Harmain Sharifain is a red line that must never be crossed. No Muslim can even dare to think of committing such a heinous crime,” he said.
He said Pakistan stood in “complete solidarity” with the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia, “as we always have throughout our history”.
Discussing the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, the prime minister said the alliance was not directed against any country.
“It is a collective commitment for defence, stability and peace in the region and nothing more,” he added.
Earlier, shortly before the prime minister’s address, Pakistan’s entire delegation arrived at the General Assembly hall.
The delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister for Investment Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Chairman of the Kashmir Affairs Committee Rana Qasim Noon and other staff members.
During his stay, the prime minister held meetings with several world and business leaders, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his Lebanese counterpart, where they discussed bilateral ties and opportunities for greater cooperation.
He also met with business leaders and intellectuals and discussed investment prospects in Pakistan.
Read: Islamabad MoU remains acceptable to Iran, Pezeshkian tells PM Shehbaz in UNGA meet
Earlier, addressing the US Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) and the US-Pakistan Business Council (USPBC), the premier invited US businesses to invest in Pakistan.
He pointed to agriculture as the country’s “biggest potential” and highlighted opportunities in mining, information technology, artificial intelligence and infrastructure.
Business figures from the IT, AI, finance, beverages, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and organic products sectors attended the meeting.
A day earlier, the prime minister met with the Iranian president on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York.
PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to continue playing a “sincere and constructive role” in support of regional peace during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The two leaders reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties between Pakistan and Iran and underscored the need to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.
…………..
More to follow
