LONDON: Pakistan has renewed its offer to host the Commonwealth Disaster Resilience Hub at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Islamabad, citing its expertise in climate mitigation and disaster management.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made the offer during a meeting with Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey at Marlborough House in London on Wednesday, where the two sides discussed strengthening cooperation on disaster resilience, youth development, climate action and economic development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General welcomed Pakistan’s offer and expressed the Secretariat’s keen interest in working with Islamabad to strengthen the disaster preparedness capabilities of Commonwealth member states, according to the Foreign Office.
The Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, met with Commonwealth Secretary-General @SGCommonWealth Shirley Botchwey at Marlborough House in London today.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s strong commitment to the Commonwealth as a founding member,… pic.twitter.com/KL7hv9MyrF
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 26, 2026
Reaffirming Pakistan’s strong commitment to the Commonwealth as a founding member, Deputy PM Dar underscored Pakistan’s support for the Secretary-General’s vision and efforts to strengthen the Organisation.
Dar also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the Commonwealth’s youth, climate resilience, and economic development agendas, as well as to promoting intra-Commonwealth trade through institutionalised banking sector cooperation.
In view of Pakistan’s expertise in climate mitigation and disaster management, Deputy PM Dar noted that Commonwealth member states could benefit from Pakistan’s expertise to combat climate change disasters.
The Secretary-General welcomed Deputy PM Dar’s offer and noted the Secretariat’s keen interest in working with Pakistan to strengthen the disaster preparedness capabilities of Commonwealth member states.
The Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, met with Commonwealth Secretary-General @SGCommonWealth Shirley Botchwey at Marlborough House in London today.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s strong commitment to the Commonwealth as a founding member,… pic.twitter.com/KL7hv9MyrF
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 26, 2026
To promote youth development, both leaders agreed to further strengthen cooperation and enhance youth-related activities across the Commonwealth under Pakistan’s co-chairmanship of the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting (CYMM), with a view to ensuring greater benefits and opportunities for young people.
Commonwealth Secretary-General appreciates Pakistan’s peace efforts
Ishaq Dar also briefed Secretary-General Botchwey on recent developments in the Middle East, including Pakistan’s role in brokering peace between the United States and Iran.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General felicitated Pakistan, especially Deputy PM Dar, for his untiring efforts and mediation between the United States and Iran. She thanked him for helping avert a destructive war and for contributing to peace and stability in the region.
On Monday, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir met with the Iranian leadership in Tehran to discuss the revival of the Islamabad MoU.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that “significant progress” was made towards restoring the Islamabad MoU during talks between Field Marshal Munir and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Naqvi hoped that the momentum would pave the way for further progress and lasting peace in the region.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and I had a very positive and productive meeting with the President of Iran. Our discussion focused on the Iran US conflict, tensions in the Middle East and the way forward, as well as the steps needed by both sides for restoration of the Islamabad… https://t.co/jt1wtlESCa
— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) August 24, 2026
In a further indication of the outcome of the high-level engagement, Iranian Deputy Communications Director Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei described Field Marshal Munir’s visit to Tehran as “highly fruitful”.
برخلاف برخی گمانهزنیهای نادرست رسانهای، سفر فیلد مارشال عاصم منیر فرمانده ارتش کشور دوست پاکستان به ایران بسیار ثمربخش و واجد دستاوردهای دیپلماتیک بسیار ارزشمندی بود که نتایج آن بهزودی آشکار خواهد شد.
— سيد مهدي طباطبايي (@tabaei1356) August 25, 2026
His remarks reinforced statements from the Pakistani side about progress during the Tehran engagements, particularly discussions aimed at restoring the Islamabad MoU and advancing efforts towards a comprehensive settlement of the Iran-US conflict.
Naqvi, who accompanied Field Marshal Munir during his visit to Iran, said the “very positive and productive” meeting with President Pezeshkian focused on the Iran-US conflict, wider tensions in the Middle East and steps required from both sides to restore the Pakistan-brokered Islamabad MoU.
“The Iranian President candidly shared his Government’s perspective and concerns, and we had a very constructive exchange on the issues involved,” Naqvi said in a post on X.
“Significant progress was made, and the meeting concluded on a highly positive note,” he added.
Naqvi said Pakistan remained hopeful that the momentum generated by the talks would help pave the way for further progress and lasting peace in the region.
British lawmakers praise Pakistan’s mediation efforts
Deputy PM Dar arrived in London on Sunday to undertake a five-day official visit to the UK from August 24-28.
Meanwhile, the British lawmakers “lauded Pakistan’s leadership and mediation efforts in the Middle East” in a meeting with Deputy PM Dar, saying that “Pakistan’s historic role had been internationally recognised and had filled all overseas Pakistanis with pride”.
According to the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, the British parliamentarians included Lord Zameer Choudrey, Lord Qurban Hussain, Baroness Shaista Sheehan, Lord Shaffaq Mohammed and Members of Parliament Mohammad Yasin, Yasmin Qureshi, Afzal Khan, Zubir Ahmed and Adnan Hussain.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met a group of cross-party Pakistan-origin British parliamentarians at Pakistan House, London. The parliamentarians included Lord Zameer Choudrey, Lord Qurban Hussain, Baroness Shaista Sheehan, and… pic.twitter.com/OcBc91YR45
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 26, 2026
Deputy PM Dar “appreciated the important role played by the British parliamentarians in strengthening Pakistan-UK ties and their staunch advocacy for a just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute”, according to the ministry.
Ishaq Dar shared Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic initiatives for de-escalation and peace in the Middle East. He underscored that “adherence to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding by all parties was critical to achieving durable peace and stability in the region”.
The Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted “the importance of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in strengthening regional peace and stability”. He stressed that “the agreement was purely defensive in nature”, according to the Foreign Office.
