ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday giving a policy statement over the evolving situation in the Middle East in the Senate session said Pakistan will neither allow its soil to be used against any country nor become part of any regional conflict.
“Pakistan can play a role in reconciliation, peace and stability, but will not augment fire of war in the region,” said Qureshi, adding that he had talked to his regional counterparts, including Iran and emphasized on exercising utmost restraint to avoid any conflict in the region.
Expressing apprehensions on the implications on recent incident of the killing of Iranian commander in US attack in Iraq, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said this may lead the region to further instability, especially chances of destabilization of Iraq and Syria have increased.
He urged the international community, the United Nations, and other world bodies to play their due role in averting any conflict in the region.
Tensions are rising between the United States and Iran after Soleimani, the architect of Tehran’s overseas clandestine and military operations as head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, was killed on Friday in a US drone strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport.
Read: COAS Bajwa calls for ‘maximum restraint’ in phone call with Pompeo following Soleimani row
Earlier, Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG-ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor had said that Pakistan will not be part of any process that disturbs the peace in the region.
While talking exclusively to ARY News, the military spokesperson, Major General Asif Ghafoor said the regional scenario has changed after the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) had given its statement over the incident.
The spokesperson clarified that the country will not become part of any process that will disturb the peace of the region. He added Pakistan desires regional peace but it will not compromise on its national security.
