ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday discussed cooperation on multilateral platforms with Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, with the foreign office in Islamabad describing their conversation as “productive.”
Both Pakistan and Denmark began their two-year terms as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council in January 2025, joining the 15-member body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
The Council comprises five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.
Non-permanent members play a crucial role in shaping the Council’s agenda, participating in decision-making processes, and contributing to resolutions on global issues.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar had a productive phone conversation with Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen,” the foreign office said in a social media post. “The two leaders expressed their resolve to strengthen the long-standing friendship between Pakistan and Denmark into a strong economic partnership.”
“They explored ways to expedite collaboration in trade and investment through the promotion of Public-Private Partnerships,” it continued. “Additionally, as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 2025 and 2026, they pledged to cooperate on multilateral platforms to advance mutual interests, peace, and sustainable development.”
In August 2022, Pakistan and Denmark signed the Green Framework Engagement Agreement, aiming to enhance collaboration on climate change mitigation, renewable energy and sustainable development. While the volume of trade between the two countries remains modest, Pakistan has sought to intensify economic diplomacy with European nations in recent years.
The relations between both sides have also faced challenges in the past. In 2005, anti-Islam caricatures published in a Danish newspaper led to public protests in Pakistan.
In 2008, the Danish embassy in Islamabad was targeted in a bombing that led to several casualties, with Al-Qaeda claiming responsibility and citing the cartoons as its motivation.
More recently, Denmark faced criticism from Muslim states for allowing public burnings of Islamic scripture.
In December 2023, however, the Danish government enacted a law criminalizing the public desecration of religious texts, deescalating tensions and aiding in the normalization of diplomatic relations with Muslim-majority countries.
Pakistan and Denmark discuss multilateral cooperation, strengthening economic ties
https://arab.news/5zn3y
Pakistan and Denmark discuss multilateral cooperation, strengthening economic ties
- Both countries began their two-year terms as non-permanent Security Council members in January
- They discuss trade and investment by leveraging public-private partnership, says the foreign office
Pakistan condemns Netanyahu’s ‘hexagon of alliances’ plan, says alert to growing India-Israel defense ties
- Israel’s Netanyahu last week proposed an alliance of countries in and around Middle East against its adversaries
- Pakistan maintains “robust military preparedness” to deter any potential aggression, says foreign office spokesperson
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Thursday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statement about forming a “hexagon of alliances” within or around the Middle East, saying Islamabad was alert to growing defense ties between New Delhi and Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu on Sunday outlined plans to form a new regional bloc, describing it as a “hexagon of alliances” that he said could include Israel, India, Greece and Cyprus, along with other unnamed Arab, African and Asian states. He said the grouping would collectively stand against what he described as “radical” adversaries.
His comments came days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day trip to bolster ties. The two are expected to discuss cooperation in science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, technology, defense and security during the trip.
The statement drew a sharp response from Pakistan’s Senate, which unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday rejecting Netanyahu’s remarks.
“I would also like to draw your attention to the recent resolution adopted by the Senate of Pakistan that strongly condemned such remarks and attempts to undermine Muslim unity,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters during a weekly press briefing.
“We continue to condemn these provocative steps and statements by the leadership of the occupying power that threaten regional peace and stability,” he added.
Netanyahu had also said Israel’s goal was to create an axis of nations that see eye to eye against what he described as the “radical Shia” and “radical Sunni” axis of nations.
Andrabi said attempts to divide the Muslim world along sectarian lines were a “nefarious design” on Netanyahu’s part.
India is Israel’s largest arms buyer and second-largest trading partner in Asia, after China. In response to a question on India’s growing defense ties with Israel, Andrabi said Pakistan remained cognizant of the risks posed by such cooperation.
“Yes, we remain seized of the defense ties between Israel and India,” the spokesperson said, noting that certain “systems and platforms” may have been used by India against Pakistan in the past.
“We are alive to the threats they pose to our security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to regional peace and stability.”
Andrabi said Pakistan maintained “robust military preparedness” to deter any potential aggression from hostile forces.
‘UTMOST CAUTION EXERCISED’
Andrabi spoke about Pakistan’s recent strikes against alleged militant camps in Afghanistan, saying Islamabad had conducted them in self-defense and with extreme caution to avoid casualties.
Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan against militant camps and hideouts in three provinces on Saturday night, killing over 100 militants. Afghanistan accused Pakistan of violating its territorial sovereignty and killing dozens of civilians. Kabul has vowed to retaliate.
Andrabi said the strikes were carried out to ensure protection for the lives of the people of Pakistan and to prevent “imminent terrorist attacks.”
“These actions were directed solely against identified terrorist camps and hideouts, and utmost caution was exercised to prevent harm to civilians,” he said.
He warned Pakistan would take necessary measures under its right to self-defense against “terrorist threats” emanating from Afghan territory.
On the safety of Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan following the strikes, Andrabi said Islamabad had raised the issue with Afghan authorities, adding that Islamabad expected “foolproof security” for Pakistani diplomats and civilians.
