ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will visit China tomorrow to discuss regional developments, the foreign office said on Monday, a day after Islamabad hosted high-level consultations on the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Dar, who is also Pakistan’s foreign minister, chaired a high-level meeting with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt on Sunday aimed at finding a permanent end to the US and Israel’s war against Iran. A statement issued by Dar at the end of the consultations said he had also spoken to China’s Foreign Minister Wang YI, who supported Islamabad’s initiative to host peace talks between Washington and Tehran.
The foreign office said Dar will visit China on Mar. 31 at Yi’s invitation.
“In this context, the upcoming visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to hold in-depth discussions on regional developments, as well as bilateral and global issues of mutual interest,” the foreign office said.
Pakistan has close defense, security and economic ties with China. Beijing is a major ally and investor in Pakistan and has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The US and Israel’s war on Iran has disrupted global shipping lines and energy as well as air corridors. The move has impacted Pakistan and several countries around the world, with Islamabad forced to conserve fuel and increase the prices of petroleum products.
Pakistan has condemned Iran’s attacks against its Gulf neighbors that have targeted US military bases as well as civilian and energy infrastructure.
Islamabad has called on all sides to refrain from escalating tensions further, stressing the need to forge unity among Muslim nations.
