ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday reaffirmed that dialogue and diplomacy remain Pakistan’s preferred instruments for ensuring peace, stability and progress.
Speaking on the second day of the three-day Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC) in Islamabad, Dar said Pakistan’s foreign policy is firmly anchored in the principles of the United Nations Charter — sovereign equality, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-interference and friendly relations among nations.
“Dialogue has always been our preferred instrument for stability and progress,” he said. “Our commitment to multilateralism reflects Pakistan’s enduring belief that dialogue, not discord, must define humanity’s future.”
Speech by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister at the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC) – 12 November 2025
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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 12, 2025
Commitment to diplomacy and multilateralism
Addressing parliamentarians and delegates from across the world, Deputy PM Dar said the presence of international participants at the ISC reflected a shared conviction that cooperation among nations remained the surest path to peace and development.
He said diplomacy today extends beyond ministries and traditional missions, drawing strength from public awareness and parliamentary engagement.
“Parliamentary diplomacy complements traditional diplomacy by bringing the perspective of the people’s representatives into international discourse,” he noted.
Dar emphasised that parliamentarians play a vital role in translating international commitments into domestic actions, simplifying regulations and enabling innovation so that growth benefits all citizens.
He said regional connectivity, trade facilitation and investment partnerships were essential to achieving shared prosperity.
Global challenges demand cooperation
Referring to current global challenges, the Deputy Prime Minister said the world was witnessing an era marked by strained trust in multilateral institutions, geopolitical rivalries, climate crises, terrorism and widening inequalities.
“At such a moment, forums like this carry exceptional significance,” he said. “Multilateralism must not only be preserved but revitalised through openness, inclusion and the active participation of people’s representatives.”
Dar said this year’s ISC theme — Peace, Security and Development — underscored the interdependence of these goals.
“Peace enables growth, development sustains peace, and security fortifies progress,” he said. “Institutions must be accountable and inclusive so that the dividends of peace and development reach all people.”
‘Cowardly’ terror attacks
Dar condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Wana and Islamabad, which claimed 15 lives, calling them “cowardly acts” that would never weaken Pakistan’s national resolve.
“Let me be very clear — these cowardly acts will never shake or weaken our national resolve to deal with this menace,” he said. “We categorically reject terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
He said Pakistan had been a bulwark against terrorism, which recognises no boundaries, religion, gender, ethnicity or race.
“If anything, these attacks reaffirm our conviction that dialogue, understanding and partnership are the only sustainable path to peace and security,” he added.
The suicide blast in Islamabad — the first in nearly three years — occurred as Pakistan hosted several international events, including the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference and the 6th Margalla Dialogue.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group, operating from Afghanistan’s territory, claimed responsibility for the attack. Police reported that a lone bomber detonated himself at the entrance of a judicial complex in the G-11 sector after failing to enter the premises.
Meanwhile, security sources said that all four terrorists involved in the attack on Cadet College Wana had been killed.
Pakistan has seen an uptick in terror attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
Bridge between Global South and Global North
Highlighting Pakistan’s leadership at the United Nations, Dar said that during its presidency of the UN Security Council in July 2025, Pakistan had convened an open debate on promoting peace through multilateralism.
The session led to the unanimous adoption of a Pakistan-sponsored resolution on strengthening mechanisms for peaceful dispute settlement.
“Pakistan’s experience uniquely positions it as a bridge between the Global South and the Global North — and between regions and civilisations,” Dar said.
“We believe cooperation must replace competition, and equitable partnerships, not hierarchies, should define the future international order.”
Commitment to people-centred diplomacy
Dar praised Senate Chairman and ISC Founding Chairman Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani for convening the conference, calling it another milestone in Pakistan’s efforts to advance peace, security and development through multilateralism.
“As Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House in the Senate, I am reminded that Pakistan’s journey on the international stage has always been defined by resilience, dialogue and partnership,” he said.
Dar said Pakistan stood ready to continue serving as a bridge-builder, uniting regions and amplifying the voices of the developing world.
