Pakistan calls for Israel’s accountability for Iran war after army chief’s meeting with US president

This handout picture provided by the Iranian Red Crescent on June 19, 2025 shows members of their rescue teams clearing debris at a building destroyed during an Israeli attack in Tehran. (AFP)
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Updated 19 June 2025
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Pakistan calls for Israel’s accountability for Iran war after army chief’s meeting with US president

  • The foreign office condemns Tel Aviv’s ‘unjustified and illegitimate aggression’ during weekly foreign office briefing
  • It says Islamabad has always advocated for diplomatic solutions, will support meaningful efforts toward de-escalation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Thursday called on the international community to end Israel’s ongoing war against Iran, condemning Tel Aviv for launching an “unjustified and illegitimate” attack and demanding its accountability.

The statement came hours after Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, attended a luncheon at the White House hosted by US President Donald Trump, a rare engagement that lasted longer than scheduled.

Trump, who has publicly backed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and stated Iran will not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, confirmed that the Israel-Iran conflict was discussed during his meeting with Munir.

While he did not share further details, Pakistan has maintained its longstanding position that Israel’s war with Iran threatens to destabilize the region.

“Pakistan strongly condemns unjustified and illegitimate aggression by Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” foreign office spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said at the outset of his weekly press briefing.

“Pakistan stands in resolute solidarity with the people of Iran and unequivocally denounces these blatant provocations, which constitute a grave danger and a serious threat to the peace, security, and stability of the entire region and beyond, with serious implications,” he added. “The international community and the United Nations bear the responsibility to uphold international law, stop this aggression immediately and hold the aggressor accountable for its actions.”

Khan pointed to a joint statement released earlier this week by 20 countries, including Pakistan, calling for an immediate halt to hostilities in the Middle East and urging de-escalation.

The statement underscored the urgent need to establish “a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction,” applying to all states in the region without exception.

It further called on all Middle Eastern countries to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Asked whether the United States sought any “special favor” from Pakistan during the army chief’s meeting with Trump, Khan said both nations share “strong and multifaceted relations” with “a full agenda of interaction and cooperation.”

“So, I don’t know how to characterize or define a special favor,” he remarked.

The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan has consistently advocated for diplomatic solutions to international conflicts and would support any meaningful initiative in that direction.


ADB, Pakistan sign over $300 million agreements to undertake climate resilience initiatives

Updated 30 December 2025
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ADB, Pakistan sign over $300 million agreements to undertake climate resilience initiatives

  • Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in weather patterns
  • The projects in Sindh and Punjab will restore nature-based coastal defenses and enhance agricultural productivity

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed more than $300 million agreements to undertake two major climate resilience initiatives, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Tuesday.

The projects include the Sindh Coastal Resilience Sector Project (SCRP), valued at Rs50.5 billion ($180.5 million), and the Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project (PCRLCAMP), totaling Rs34.7 billion ($124 million).

Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns. In 2022, monsoon floods killed over 1,700 people, displaced another 33 million and caused over $30 billion losses, while another 1,037 people were killed in floods this year.

The South Asian country is ramping up climate resilience efforts, with support from the ADB and World Bank, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable areas.

“Both sides expressed their commitment to effectively utilize the financing for successful and timely completion of the two initiatives,” the PID said in a statement.

The Sindh Coastal Resilience Project (SCRP) will promote integrated water resources and flood risk management, restore nature-based coastal defenses, and strengthen institutional and community capacity for strategic action planning, directly benefiting over 3.8 million people in Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin districts, according to ADB.

The Punjab project will enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience across 30 districts, improving small farmers’ access to climate-smart machinery, introducing circular agriculture practices to reduce residue burning, establishing testing and training facilities, and empowering 15,000 women through skills development and livelihood diversification.

Earlier this month, the ADB also approved $381 million in financing for Pakistan’s Punjab province to modernize agriculture and strengthen education and health services, including concessional loans and grants for farm mechanization, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, and nursing sector reforms.