Islamabad: Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif held a key phone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Wednesday, outlining Islamabad’s active diplomacy to defuse the escalating situation in West Asia, PTI reported.
In a post on X, Sharif detailed the discussion, which covered the regional dynamics alongside traditional Eid greetings. The outreach came just a day after he publicly proposed hosting US-Iran talks for a lasting resolution to their conflict.
Sharif noted that he “appreciated the Kingdom’s restraint and, ‘I stressed the urgent need for de-escalation, an end to hostilities, and unity in the ranks of the Ummah’.” He added, “I also briefed His Royal Highness on Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach efforts for regional peace and stability. We agreed to remain in close coordination.”
The prime minister further voiced Pakistan’s “strong condemnation of the recent attacks on the Kingdom” and reaffirmed Islamabad’s “unwavering solidarity and unequivocal support for Saudi Arabia in these challenging times.” He extended “warm Eid-ul-Fitr greetings to the Crown Prince as well as King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to the royal family and the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia.”
Sharif’s Tuesday X post stated Islamabad was “ready and honoured” to facilitate “meaningful and conclusive talks” between the US and Iran to end the ongoing conflict. Hours later, US President Donald Trump reposted it on Truth Social.
Media reports indicate the US transmitted a 15-point peace plan and ceasefire proposal to Iran on Tuesday — channeled through Pakistan — to halt the Middle East war.
Pakistan’s diplomatic push extended to other regional powers. Deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar held talks with with UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to the Foreign Office.
“Dar underscored the importance of peace and stability, calling for immediate de-escalation and emphasising that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path forward,” it said.
Dar separately hosted British High Commissioner Jane Marriott at the Foreign Office for talks on the evolving crisis. The foreign office quoted him as stressing “diplomacy and dialogue remain the only viable path forward, emphasising the urgent need for early resolution of the conflict.”
He also met Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, focusing on regional and global developments. “Dar underscored the urgent need to promote de-escalation in the Middle East and the wider region through dialogue and diplomacy,” the FO noted. They reaffirmed the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and pledged sustained collaboration on shared concerns.
