WASHINGTON: Two important visits from Pakistan to the United States — one by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the other by a trade delegation — have been postponed due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, official sources told Dawn.

Mr Dar was scheduled to travel to New York next week to attend a United Nations conference on Palestinian statehood. But on Friday, France and Saudi Arabia — co-sponsors of the event — requested the UN to postpone the gathering.

The request followed Israeli air strikes on Iran. Speaking in Paris, French President Emmanuel Mac­ron said the conference, which aimed to advance a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, had been delayed but would still take place.

“While we have to postpone this conference for logistical and security reasons, it will take place as soon as possible,” Presi­dent Macron said.

The changing situation in the Middle East has also delayed another planned visit — that of a trade delegation from Islamabad, which was to hold talks in Washington on tariffs.

At a news briefing last week, US President Donald Trump had anno­unced that the delegation would arrive “next week” for trade talks. Those plans are now on hold.

“But it will happen soon. We are working on the schedule,” a source told Dawn.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2025