Says Pakistan concerned over continuing escalation, its implications for regional peace, security, energy supplies
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan addresses the weekly press briefing in Islamabad. SCREENGRAB
The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday said Pakistan remained committed to the Makkah accord but declined to disclose operational details, saying “operational confidentiality” required discretion over when and how any response would be carried out.
“Pakistan is committed to the intent and spirit of implementing the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) and the Makkah accord. However, details regarding when and how, where, what force would be used, against which objectives, and through which means cannot be disclosed at this stage. Operational confidentiality requires some discretion at this time,” said FO spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan during a weekly press briefing while responding to questions about how Pakistan would ensure that Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia were thwarted and the kingdom’s territorial integrity remained intact.
The statement came amid a widening Middle East crisis, as Yemen’s Houthi group began targeting Saudi Arabia and its energy facilities. A day earlier, Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone near Makkah. The Houthis, however, denied responsibility for the attack, rejecting Saudi Arabia’s accusation that they had launched the drone. The incident drew condemnation around the world.
Responding to questions about diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation, Khan said Pakistan had long advocated peace and stability in the region.
“The situation in Bab al-Mandeb is exceptional; we can say that it’s a serious matter of concern. We need to bring peace in the entire region, and Houthis must stop their activities also,” Khan said.
He added that Pakistan’s discussions were focused on “bringing peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy and not through coercive measures”.
Khan said Islamabad wanted peace and stability to prevail across the region. “This is in the interest of not only Pakistan and Iran, but the entire region and beyond our region also,” he said.
The spokesperson during today’s briefing said that Pakistan was closely following the evolving situation in the Middle East amid continuing Houthi attacks.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had condemned in the strongest possible terms the “dastardly” attempted drone attack against the holy sites in Makkah al-Mukarramah.
“The people of Pakistan were deeply saddened and perturbed by this outrageous act,” Khan quoted the prime minister as saying.
The prime minister had said there could be “no words strong enough” to convey the depth of Pakistanis’ anguish and sorrow over the “reprehensible and unforgivable incident”.
“He had also praised the extraordinary vigilance, courage and professionalism demonstrated by the Royal Saudi Armed Forces in their response, while calling on all parties to exercise “maximum restraint” and step back from further escalation,” said the spokesperson.
“Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder unwaveringly with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the security and sanctity of Haramain Sharifain,” Khan said.
Khan said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had also condemned the attempted drone attack on Makkah, saying such an attack violated Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, offended the religious sentiments of Muslims worldwide and threatened regional peace and security.
Read: Makkah defence pact has reached point of implementation: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif
He said Pakistan had earlier in the week also strongly condemned drone attacks targeting the East-West Pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, which had damaged the pipeline and injured civilians.
PM Shehbaz had spoken to Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on September 13 and reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its commitment to supporting efforts for de-escalation and peace in the region.
“Pakistan remains concerned over the continuing escalation and its implications for regional peace, security, maritime navigation, as well as global energy supplies. Pakistan continues to advocate dialogue and diplomacy as a means to resolving differences and avoiding further escalation,” he added.
Read more: Makkah defence pact has no regional aspirations, aimed at collective deterrence: DG ISPR
Khan said Pakistan had welcomed the two-day visit of Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar to Pakistan on September 14 and 15, during which PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering solidarity” with Lebanon’s leadership and people and its support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said that the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction over growing cooperation in interior and security affairs.
“The two interior ministers also signed an MoU on the transfer of sentenced persons, which provided a legal framework for convicted nationals to serve the remainder of their sentences in their respective home countries,” he added.
The spokesperson said FM Dar had also spoken to International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi on September 15. They discussed the evolving regional situation and agreed that implementation of the Islamabad MoU remained “the most effective course of action” to reduce tensions in the region. Mr Grossi had offered technical support if required.
On India, Khan said the FO had summoned the Indian High Commission’s chargé d’affaires and lodged a “strong protest” over what Pakistan termed a “highly provocative and unacceptable” action by an Indian naval vessel in Pakistan’s exclusive economic zone on September 15.
He said the incident occurred while the Pakistan Navy was conducting its biennial Sea Spark 26 exercise. According to the Pakistani account, the Indian vessel carried out “aggressive manoeuvres in dangerously close proximity” to a Pakistani naval ship, resulting in contact between the two vessels.
The spokesperson said Pakistan considered the incident a “serious violation of international law” and the 1991 bilateral agreement on advance notice of military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements. Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in New Delhi would also lodge a similar demarche with India’s Ministry of External Affairs, he said.
Also Read: No military response discussed under Makkah defence pact over Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia: FO
Khan said Pakistan had called on India to “act responsibly, avoid provocative actions” and comply with international law and bilateral commitments aimed at preventing incidents at sea.
He also said Pakistan had hosted the 46th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, or SCO-RATS, in Islamabad on 14 September. The meeting discussed regional security issues and cooperation among member states against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
“Decisions were adopted to enhance information-sharing mechanisms,” Khan said, adding that members had also agreed to undertake joint activities in 2027. Pakistan’s chairmanship of the SCO-RATS Council had now passed to Russia, while the next meeting of the executive committee would be held in Tashkent.
Khan said PM Shehbaz would lead Pakistan’s delegation to the high-level segment of the 81st UNGA session in New York the following week.
He said the prime minister would highlight Pakistan’s position on regional and global developments and reaffirm the importance of “dialogue, diplomacy, restraint and peaceful resolution of disputes”.
Khan said PM Shehbaz would outline Pakistan’s priorities on sustainable development, climate change, counter-terrorism, Islamophobia, global economic challenges, UN reform and issues facing the Global South. He would also raise the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine.
“During the visit, the prime minister would participate in high-level events and hold bilateral meetings with world leaders and the UN secretary-general,” the spokesperson said.
On Pakistan-China relations, Khan said the two countries had operationalised the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission on September 16, with its inaugural meeting held at the Foreign Office in Islamabad.
“The commission would strengthen cooperation in border management, joint surveys, trade facilitation and people-to-people connectivity,” he said.
The spokesperson also announced the retirement of Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch after more than three decades of diplomatic service, saying she had made “valuable contributions” to Pakistan’s foreign policy and diplomatic service through her professionalism, commitment and leadership.
On reports that around 90 Pakistani Sikh pilgrims were prevented from travelling to India, Khan rejected the reports that they had not been allowed to board their flight.
“We have seen the malicious media campaign originating from India regarding the Sikh pilgrims who were trying to go from Pakistan,” he said. He said the group of around 90 to 100 Pakistani Sikhs intended to travel to India to visit different shrines, but the visas issued to them by the Indian High Commission were not covered under the 1974 bilateral protocol governing pilgrim visits between the two countries.
“We were not aware that Indian High Commission had issued these visas and these visas were not covered under the 1974 bilateral protocol,” Khan said.
He said the visas had been issued independently and without coordination.
Khan said Pakistan remained committed to welcoming Sikh pilgrims, including those travelling from India. “We remain committed to extending warm welcome to Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan, including from India,” he said.
Referring to the number of visas issued by Pakistan to Indian Sikh pilgrims, he said more than 2,100 visas were issued in November last year, while more than 2,800 visas were issued for Baisakhi in April this year.
“Seven hundred plus visas were issued for Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom day and 438 visas were issued for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in June,” he said.
Khan said Pakistan was also ready to welcome Sikh pilgrims for the upcoming Baisakhi festival through the Kartarpur Corridor.
“We are ready to welcome Sikh pilgrims through Kartarpur Corridor as and when India allows them, because currently Kartarpur Corridor has been closed by India and not by Pakistan,” he said.
On India’s objections to the 1963 Pakistan-China Boundary Agreement and the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission, Khan said Pakistan “categorically rejects” New Delhi’s assertions.
“China is not only our neighbour, but an all-weather strategic cooperative partner. Our ironclad friendship has withstood the test of time,” he said. “The 1963 agreement is a valid arrangement concluded between Pakistan and China,” Khan added.
He rejected India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir, saying the territory remained an internationally recognised disputed territory whose final status was to be determined in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
“It is a mockery of international law that India speaks of legality in an attempt to challenge the validity of the Border Joint Commission,” he said.
Khan said India should instead review its “illegal and unilateral decisions” of August 5, 2019, and “end its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and faithfully implement the UN Security Council resolutions”.
Asked about India’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) meeting hosted by Pakistan, Khan said an Indian official based in Islamabad had represented the country.
“The broader objective is peace and security and fighting terrorism, and it’s a common challenge for both the countries,” he said.
