ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met his Palestinian and Iraqi counterparts on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey on Thursday, the Pakistani foreign office said on Friday.
The Forum, attended by top political leaders, diplomats, opinion makers and academics, is being held from June 18-20 in an Antalya resort on the coast of the Mediterranean.
During the meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr. Riyad Al-Maliki, “Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and underscored the importance of two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders under the relevant UNSC [United Nations Security Counsil] resolutions for sustainable peace in the region.”
The Israeli military said this week it had launched aircraft attacks in the Gaza Strip - the first since an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire ended 11 days of cross-border fighting last month.
In his meeting with the Palestinian leader, Qureshi also expressed strong concerns on the recent Israeli strikes against Gaza.
Maliki briefed Foreign Minister Qureshi on the latest situation in Palestine, conveying “deep appreciation on behalf of the Palestinian President and people of Palestine to the Foreign Minister for proactively taking up the case of Palestine at the UN General Assembly during the recent Israeli aggression against Gaza.”
Both foreign ministers discussed rising Islamophobia and agreed on the need to evolve a joint strategy to counter discrimination against all religious faiths.
Qureshi also extended an invitation to Maliki to visit Pakistan.
“Foreign Minister Maliki accepted the invitation and responded that he looked forward to visiting Pakistan in the near future,” the foreign office said.
Qureshi also met Iraqi Foreign Minister Dr. Fuad Hussein on the sidelines of the Forum on June 17.
“Foreign Minister Qureshi highlighted the importance of liberalizing the visa regime for facilitating Pakistani Zaireen [pilgrims] visiting the religious sites in Iraq,” the foreign office said. “Both Foreign Ministers also exchanged best practices in promoting religious tourism.”
Pakistani foreign minister meets Palestinian, Iraqi counterparts at Antalya Diplomacy Forum
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Pakistani foreign minister meets Palestinian, Iraqi counterparts at Antalya Diplomacy Forum
- The Forum, attended by top political leaders, diplomats, opinion makers and academics, is being held from June 18-20
- Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for Palestinian cause, underscored importance of two-state solution
Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chairs review meeting of austerity steps
- Officials briefed on salary cuts, school closures, four‑day week, petrol conservation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Wednesday assessed progress on a sweeping set of austerity measures introduced to mitigate the country’s economic strain from sharply rising global oil prices and supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week announced a series of austerity steps, including a four‑day work week for government offices, requiring 50 percent of staff to work from home, cutting fuel allowances for official vehicles by half, grounding up to 60 percent of the government fleet and closing all schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis.
The measures were unveiled in response to global oil market volatility triggered by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices sharply higher, straining Pakistan’s heavily import‑dependent energy sector.
“The meeting stressed the importance of strict and transparent adherence to the austerity measures, promoting fiscal responsibility and prudent use of public resources,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said in a statement.
He was chairing a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, constituted under the directions of the PM, bringing together federal and provincial officials to review execution of the broad cost‑cutting plan.
Dar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing the PM’s austerity steps nationwide. The committee’s review also covered reductions in departmental expenditure, deductions from salaries of senior officials earning over Rs. 300,000 ($1,120), and coordination with provincial administrations to ensure uniform implementation of the plan.
Participants at the meeting reiterated that all ministries and divisions must continue strict monitoring and reporting, with transparent oversight mechanisms, as Pakistan navigates the economic pressures from the prolonged Middle East crisis and its fallout on global energy and trade markets.
