Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Pakistan Urges Regional Unity Against Mounting Security Threats


(MENAFN) Pakistan's top diplomat issued an urgent appeal Wednesday for South Asian nations to unite against mounting security threats, economic turmoil, and climate disasters, cautioning that international cooperation frameworks face unprecedented pressure.

Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's Foreign Minister, delivered the warning at the Islamabad Conclave 2025, an event organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, a local policy research institution. Dar emphasized that the region must radically overhaul its collaborative structures, moving away from adversarial rivalries and decades-old disputes.

The foreign minister characterized today's international landscape as increasingly fractured, with armed conflicts across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa fueling widespread instability. He noted that multilateral bodies face erosion as certain nations pursue independent action. "Multilateralism is under assault," he said, stressing the need for dialogue and diplomacy.

Dar declared Pakistan's rejection of divisive alliance-building and competitive strategies, advocating instead for transparent, all-encompassing regional partnerships. He highlighted Pakistan's election to the UN Security Council for the 2025-2026 term, pledging the nation would actively support global peacekeeping initiatives.

The minister identified surging extremist movements, nationalist populism, and anti-Muslim bigotry as additional destabilizing forces worldwide.

South Asia—representing over 25% of humanity—continues grappling with chronic underdevelopment, Dar stated, citing widespread poverty, economic disparity, undernourishment, and inadequate infrastructure linkages. Cross-border commerce remains minimal, while the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation has remained essentially dormant for more than ten years.

"Pakistan envisions a South Asia where connectivity replaces divisions, economies grow in synergy, disputes are resolved peacefully in accordance with international legitimacy, and peace is maintained with dignity," he said. Pakistan remained committed to working with all partners to help the region realize its full potential.

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