ISLAMABAD: Pakistan would support all efforts to prevent war escalating in the Middle East, the Foreign Office said on Friday, as a fresh round of Israeli attacks on Lebanon once again heightened fears of a wider conflict in the restive region.

The Middle East is bracing for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following the recent assassination of senior Hamas and Hezbollah figures in Beirut and Tehran.

“We also believe that a war in the Middle East must be avoided, and Pak­istan will therefore support all efforts to prevent a war in the Middle East,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told a media briefing, but did not comment on whether Islam­abad had been in contact with Washington over the issue.

Ms Baloch said that a recent OIC meeting had held Israel responsible for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.

She recalled that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had expressed “unequivocal condemnation of Israeli brutalities and war-mongering and its actions that have caused irreparable damage to the already fragile and volatile Middle East. He also called for preventing further escalation of tensions and violence in the region.”

Brushing aside the proposition that Pakistan was sending arms to Iran, she termed these “baseless reports [with] malicious agenda behind them”. “This is a critical time in the Middle East,” she said, and urged all stakeholders to be wary of “fake news”.

During Friday’s press briefing, Ms Baloch also rejected all speculation about Pakistan being involved in the ouster of former Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina

Reacting to media reports accusing Pakistani intelligence agencies of playing a role in the collapse of the government in Dhaka, Ms Baloch called it New Delhi’s “disturbing obsession” with Islamabad.

She said that Indian political leaders and their media habitually blamed Pakistan for their failures in domestic and foreign policy, adding that Pakistan and Bangladesh had positive relations, which had only continued to grow.

“The government and people of Pakistan have expressed their support and solidarity with the people of Bangladesh and we sincerely hope for a peaceful and swift return to normalcy,” Baloch said.

She went on to say that Pakistan was confident that the resilient spirit and unity of the Bangladeshi people would lead them towards a harmonious future.

“The prime minister has extended felicitations to Prof Mohammed Yunus on his swearing in as chief advisor of the government … and expressed the desire to work with [him] to deepen cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the days ahead.”

Talking about Pakistani students, the FO spokesperson revealed that around 100 still remain in Bangladesh. “Our high commission remains in contact with the students. It is our assessment the that the situation of security is improving, and we will continue to ensure the safety of our students,” he said.

US-India defence co-op

Referring to the proposed US-India Defence Cooperation Act, which was recently introduced in the US Congress, the spokesperson said they had “noticed some unwarranted references to Pakistan” in the bill and that Pakistan had “conveyed our concerns to the US side”.

Saying that Pakistan valued its close relationship with the US, the spokesperson stressed the need for constructive engagement and dialogue based on sovereign equality, mutual respect and understanding and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs.

“We also believe that deliberations of legislative bodies should contribute to promoting positive dynamics and bilateral ties and should be based on mutual respect and understanding. We hope that the US Congress will play a supportive role in strengthening Pakistan-US ties and focus on avenues of mutual collaboration that benefit both our peoples and countries,” Ms Baloch said.

The bill, introduced by US Senator Marco Rubio, could have significant implications for Pakistan, as it proposes to “bar Pakistan from receiving security assistance if it is found to have sponsored terrorism against India”.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2024