ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday emphasised the urgent need for de-escalation and restraint to ensure peace and security in the Middle East and the wider region.
Deputy PM Dar said this during a meeting with the British High Commissioner Jane Marriott at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dar has said that he will not attend the upcoming Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) due to ongoing regional tensions.
“While appreciating the Commonwealth’s close engagement with Pakistan, DPM/FM conveyed that he would be unable to attend the forthcoming Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) due to the ongoing regional situation,” it said.
He stressed the urgent need for de-escalation and restraint to safeguard peace and security in the Middle East and the broader region.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 received the British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott @JaneMarriottUK at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.
While appreciating Commonwealth’s close engagement with Pakistan, DPM/FM conveyed that… pic.twitter.com/1U1iOO5nF1
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) March 5, 2026
Earlier, Pakistan and the United Kingdom reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic cooperation as Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, met British High Commissioner Jane Marriott CMG OBE at the Finance Division on Thursday.
The discussion focused on Pakistan’s macroeconomic stability, ongoing economic reforms, and strategies to navigate potential regional market uncertainties.
Middle East tensions
Meanwhile, the United States and Israel remain engaged in military operations against Iran.
The confrontation escalated after US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military installations in the Gulf.
The widening conflict has raised fears of a broader regional war, making any demonstration of strategic military capability particularly sensitive.
US defence officials, however, said routine testing of strategic missiles is essential to ensure that the country’s nuclear forces remain ready and credible as part of its deterrence strategy.
