ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday highlighted the importance of mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, affirming that both Islamabad and Doha “never gave up”.
Addressing the eighth Global Security Forum in Qatar, the country’s security czar said the last few months had been very difficult for the region.
Convened under the title ‘The Future of Alliances’, the forum brought together high-ranking officials and dignitaries from over 100 nations, according to the Qatar News Agency.
The conflict involving Iran and the United States created serious risks for not only the Middle East, but the entire world, the minister noted, adding that at such a critical time, Pakistan chose the path of peace and made “every possible effort to reduce tensions”.
Says Makkah pact meant ‘for defence, not war’; calls for better cooperation, intelligence sharing to beat menace of terrorism
Mr Naqvi, who has been involved in Islamabad’s peace efforts and has made several trips to Iran since the war began, said: “There were moments when the situation was extremely tense, but we never gave up.
“We continued talking, listening and working to build trust. And I can tell you from my experience: peace is not achieved in one meeting; it requires patience, trust and continuous efforts.”
He particularly highlighted the “remarkable role” of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Pakistan’s efforts to reduce tensions.
In his remarks, Mr Naqvi recalled the June 18 signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which was followed by the Lake Lucerne summit in Switzerland.
“There, I saw something I will never forget,” he said, adding that Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and CDF Munir had worked for “more than 16 hours without a single break”.
The only aim of the two mediating countries was to “stop further conflict and to save innocent lives”, Mr Naqvi emphasised.
The minister praised Qatar’s peace efforts, noting it had “done so much”. “In the diplomacy of our time, when others chose sides, Qatar chose to keep talking. Pakistan has seen this closely because we have worked beside you.”
He stressed that Pakistan has always believed that “dialogue is better than war”.
“Our recent experience has taught us three important lessons: never close the door to dialogue, trust is the most important key for any kind of talks, and thirdly, peace requires sincere efforts from everyone.”
The senator emphasised that no single country could achieve regional peace alone.
“Pakistan is proud of the role it has played in the regional peace efforts,” he said, reaffirming that Islamabad would continue to support dialogue, peace and cooperation.
“We believe that winning peace is far more important than winning a war,” the minister remarked.
He conveyed Pakistan’s message: “We do not want credit for stopping wars. We want a future where wars do not start.”
Makkah alliance ‘not for war’
During his address, Mr Naqvi also spoke about the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in August as an example of Islamabad’s commitment to regional security.
“It is a pact for defence, not for war,” he declared, adding that no country could “enjoy lasting peace if its neighbours are facing conflicts”.
He also spoke about countering security challenges and called for stronger international cooperation on terrorism.
Describing it as a “common enemy”, he called for “stronger cooperation, better intelligence-sharing and joint efforts to defeat it”.
The senator noted that counterterrorism cooperation was not something Pakistan has only sought, but also provided, highlighting the country’s contributions to the United Nations’ peacekeeping missions.
Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2026
