ISLAMABAD, APR 30: Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday that Pakistan is maintaining sustained engagement with both Washington and Tehran to support de-escalation and ceasefire efforts.
“The clock of negotiations has not stopped,” he said while addressing a weekly briefing in Islamabad on Thursday.
He described ongoing mediation efforts as constructive, noting that recent ceasefire understandings had helped prevent further escalation and civilian casualties.
Speaking on the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, Andrabi described the Hormuz as a vital corridor for global trade and oil transport, and called for the swift resumption of normal shipping activity.
He further said that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open was essential for energy supplies, trade, and the flow of goods, expressing hope that negotiations would succeed and the route would be restored.
Two months into the war that started with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, the vital sea channel remains closed, choking off 20% of the world’s supplies of oil and gas. That has sent global energy prices surging and heightened concerns about the risks of an economic downturn.
Addressing the presser today, the spokesperson further said the efforts, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and senior military leadership, reflect Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue-driven conflict resolution.
He also detailed a series of high-level engagements, including multiple telephonic contacts between PM Shehbaz and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, consultations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, meetings with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and participation in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where the prime minister met Turkish President Erdogan.
The spokesperson said these engagements reinforced Pakistan’s role in facilitating recent US-Iran ceasefire understandings and advancing regional peace efforts, which have been widely acknowledged by international partners.
FO in touch with Somalia over kidnapped sailors
In response to questions on overseas Pakistanis, the spokesperson provided updates on detainees in Southeast Asia and Africa.
The FO spokesperson said that Pakistani authorities are actively engaged in efforts to secure the release of crew members aboard a hijacked vessel off the Somali coast, with assurances from regional authorities that the situation is being closely monitored.
He confirmed that more than 80 Pakistanis detained in Cambodia are receiving consular access and would be repatriated after completion of legal formalities, while cautioning citizens against fraudulent overseas job offers.
Providing an additional update, Andrabi said 27 Pakistani nationals detained in Kampala, Uganda, were scheduled to return to Pakistan on Thursday, while around 30 others were in the process of arranging their travel.
He added that the remaining individuals, who were on visit visas, would also depart in due course.
The spokesperson noted that Ugandan immigration authorities had imposed financial penalties, but Pakistan’s mission was actively engaging with local authorities to seek a waiver.
FO condemns Afghan shelling
Foreign Office spokesperson also condemned the unprovoked firing and shelling by Afghan forces on April 26 and 29 in the border areas of South Waziristan, including Angoor Adda, which injured civilians, including women and children, and damaged homes.
He expressed solidarity with affected families and said measures were underway to ensure safety and prevent further incidents.
Andrabi also dismissed recent allegations by Kabul as propaganda, reiterating Pakistan’s demand that Afghan territory must not be used for attacks against Pakistan.
