PM Shehbaz to visit Iran, Turkiye from July 3-5: FO spokesperson

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would undertake official visits to Iran and Türkiye from July 3 to 5. “PM Shehbaz will travel to Iran first to participate in the funeral ceremony of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and will convey condolences on behalf of the people and the Government of Pakistan to the Iranian leadership and the bereaved families while reaffirming solidarity with the brotherly nation in their hour of profound grief,” Andrabi said while speaking at a weekly press briefing in Islamabad. The spokesperson said that the premier would also travel to Türkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.  “The prime minister will hold discussions on the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship with a special focus on giving impetus to bilateral trade and investment cooperation between the two brotherly countries. The leadership meeting will also reflect on issues concerning regional peace and security,” he said. Andrabi further added that during the stay in Istanbul, the prime minister would also address a business conference being hosted by Pakistan to spotlight Pakistan's trade and investment potential in priority areas, including the SEZs, energy, trade, IT and privatisation sectors.  “The conference will bring together leading Turkish businessmen and investors alongside senior officials, dignitaries and other distinguished participants from the business community,” he said.  The spokesperson further said that during the visit, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other cabinet ministers and senior officials would accompany PM Shehbaz. Pakistan, Qatar engaged with the US-Iran negotiator in Doha yesterday Discussing the US-Iran war and the situation in the Gulf region, Andrabi said that Pakistan had stepped up its diplomatic engagement with key regional and international stakeholders as well as the principal interlocutors to facilitate earnest follow-up and implementation of the Islamabad MOU between Iran and the US in line with the joint statement between Pakistan and Qatar issued at Bergenstock on June 21. “Pakistan and Qatar engaged with the relevant parties in Doha yesterday and held separate meetings with the US and Iranian negotiators in Doha, and these culminated late last night, in fact, well into the morning,” he said. The spokesperson further highlighted three specific points on the Doha talks. “One, there was positive progress made on issues related to the different aspects of the Islamabad MOU, building on the Lake Lucerne Summit. Two, parties agreed to continue discussion over the coming period and three, next meeting to be set at the earliest possible time following the funeral procession of the former Iranian Supreme Leader,” he said. He said that Pakistan would continue to play a facilitative and mediatory role in the negotiation process along with Qatari partners.  “FM Dar also continued with his high-level consultations and telephone conversations, a series of which were held this week with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, China, Bahrain, and Iran. He also spoke with the British Foreign Secretary and the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,” he said. Andrabi said that Pakistan and India’s real issue was not terrorism but the mindset within the Indian leadership that "seeks to use water as a weapon is the real issue.”  The spokesperson also said Pakistan’s efforts had helped secure the release of 22 Iranian sailors, adding that the number of Iranian citizens repatriated through Pakistan’s facilitation had reached 70. On security issues, Andrabi said Operation Ghazab Lil Haq against terrorists was continuing as Pakistan would not compromise on the safety of its citizens The spokesperson said the Afghan chargé d’affaires was demarche on June 29 after an Afghan national was captured alive while carrying out a terrorist act on a Rangers facility in Karachi. He said Pakistan had conveyed its concerns to Afghan authorities and reiterated that Islamabad would take all necessary steps to protect its citizens.

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