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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week assured United Nations Secretary General António Guterres of Islamabad’s “strong commitment” to work for peaceful resolution to conflicts as president of the UN Security Council, the Pakistani foreign office said. 

Pakistan assumed the presidency of the Security Council for July 2025 earlier this month. Islamabad has said it is mindful of the multiple challenges to international peace and security across the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and other regions in today’s world.

Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, received a telephone call from Guterres on Sunday night, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement. 

 “As Pakistan holds the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July, the DPM/FM reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to international peace and security, and to the pacific settlement of disputes,” the foreign office said.

“He also highlighted the Signature Events being convened by Pakistan during its Presidency to advance these objectives.”

The statement said both leaders also looked forward to engaging in New York next week during activities related to Pakistan’s presidency of the UN Security Council. 

“The DPM/FM further reiterated Pakistan’s continued support in facilitating the United Nations and its personnel in the effective discharge of their mandate,” the statement added. 

Pakistan assumed the presidency of the UNSC at a critical time, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine refusing to let up. Israel has killed over 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023, in response to Hamas’ lightning attack. In June, it engaged in a conflict with Iran after attacking its nuclear facilities and military leadership. 

Pakistan has repeatedly condemned Israel’s military actions against Palestine, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries since the 2023 conflict began. Islamabad has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and stated that lasting peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, based on the pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.

ISLAMABAD: Deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, will be leading the Pakistani delegation at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in China today, Monday, the Pakistani foreign ministry said, with member states expected to discuss key regional and global issues at the forum.

The meeting comes amid simmering regional tensions, particularly between India and Pakistan, following New Delhi’s refusal to sign a recent SCO joint statement over its omission of a deadly April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The SCO, a trans-regional bloc comprising China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Iran, and Central Asian states, is expected to deliberate on pressing regional and global security, connectivity, and economic issues.

Dar is attending the CFM meeting, being held in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin on July 14-16, at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.

“The deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on the sidelines of the CFM meeting,” it said in a statement on Sunday.

The CFM is the third highest forum in the SCO format that focuses on the issues of international relations as well as foreign and security policies of China-backed SCO.

Last month, Beijing’s bid for enhanced regional leadership suffered a setback when India rejected signing a joint statement put before defense ministers of the SCO, seen by some Western analysts as a regional grouping by China and Russia to counter United States influence in Asia, with New Delhi saying it was pro-Pakistan in not mentioning April’s attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.

India blamed Pakistan for backing the gunmen behind the April 22 killing of 26 people. Islamabad denies the charge.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said the statement diluted India’s position on critical issues such as terrorism and regional security, The Associated Press reported, citing a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. Singh alleged the joint statement “suited Pakistan’s narrative” because it did not include that attack but mentioned militant activities in Balochistan.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of backing separatists in its Balochistan province, allegations that India denies.

In May, India and Pakistan exchanged fighter jet, missile, drone and artillery strikes for four days over the Kashmir attack, killing around 70 people on both sides before agreeing to US-brokered ceasefire.