ISLAMABAD:Foreign Office Spokesperson Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan has reiterated that Pakistan welcomes pilgrims of all faiths and remains committed to facilitating their visits to religious sites belonging to different religions. He said that durable peace could not be established in South Asia till the just solution of Kashmir dispute, adding that Pakistan will continue political, moral and diplomat support of the people of Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Responding to a question during his weekly media briefing in Islamabad on Friday, FO Spokesperson said Pakistan issued more than 9,000 visas to Indian religious pilgrims in 2025, including Sikh and Hindu pilgrims. He added that over 4,000 additional visas were issued to Sikh pilgrims during the first half of this year.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said Pakistan looks forward to welcoming a large number of Sikh pilgrims at Nankana Sahib later this month to mark the 557th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

He noted that the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines between Pakistan and India provides a framework for facilitating religious pilgrimages between the two countries.

The FO Spokesperson highlighted that Pakistan established the Kartarpur Corridor as a special initiative to facilitate Sikh pilgrims. The corridor enables more than 5,000 pilgrims to visit the holy site daily and return on the same day.

He said that although India has suspended pilgrim movement through the corridor since May 2025, Pakistan remains ready to welcome and facilitate pilgrims once the restrictions are lifted.

Commenting on the possible visit of the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab to Pakistan, Sajjad Haider Khan said the Pakistani government would consider issuing him a visa if he wished to visit the country. However, he clarified that whether the Indian government permits him to travel to Pakistan is an entirely separate matter.

Reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to religious freedom, the FO Spokesperson said the country believes in facilitating followers of all faiths in visiting their sacred places.

He further stated that Pakistan is taking steps to preserve and protect Buddhist heritage sites, including those in Taxila and Takht-i-Bahi, and has established a special task force for this purpose.

FO Spokesperson said that first, on 23 October 2026, the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Trkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia met in Istanbul for the R4 Ministerial Meeting. Discussions focused on the evolving regional situation, including Palestine, Yemen, the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, and tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. The Ministers reaffirmed support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine along the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They called for an immediate end to violence, unhindered humanitarian assistance to Gaza and early implementation of the two-state solution.

On Yemen, they condemned Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, while expressing solidarity with the Government of Yemen and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ministers also stressed the need to resolve regional conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, welcomed ongoing diplomatic efforts, including the Islamabad MoU, and called for the safe and unimpeded resumption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said i a related development, also on 23 October 2026, the R4 Foreign Ministers met in Istanbul with their counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. They exchanged views on key regional and international challenges, including the US-Israel-Iran conflict, the Israel-Palestine conflict, Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and the Black Sea. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue, de-escalation and negotiated solutions, and agreed to continue consultations in this format to advance regional peace and stability.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said moving to developments in the Middle East, on 24 October, Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack at a funeral procession in a church in Jordan. Pakistan extended condolences to the Government and people of Jordan, particularly the bereaved families, wished the injured a speedy recovery, and reaffirmed its solidarity with Jordan in the fight against terrorism.

He said that on 26 October, Pakistan strongly condemned the Houthi ballistic missile attacks targeting the Makkah and Madinah regions of Saudi Arabia, including areas near the Holy Sites. Pakistan termed the attacks a grave violation of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and a blatant disregard for the sanctity of Islam's holiest sites and civilian safety.

Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its commitment to the Makkah Alliance for Defence, including the protection of the Two Holy Mosques against external aggression or threats.

He said that in another important development concerning regional peace and security, On 28 October, the first Secretary General of the Makkah Alliance for Defence, Lt. Gen. (R) Nauman Mahmood, HI (M), called on the DPM/FM at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The DPM/FM highlighted Pakistan's efforts to promote regional and international peace and stability and underscored the important role of the Makkah Alliance for Defence in advancing lasting peace in the region.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said 'Turning to Pakistan's bilateral engagements, let me first touch upon the official visit of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, who visited Islamabad on 30 October 2026, at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar'.

He said that the visit was particularly significant as it coincided with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Singapore and came ahead of Singapore's assumption of the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, particularly in agriculture, infrastructure development, digital technologies, fintech and the services sector. They also explored enhanced collaboration in cybersecurity, climate resilience, capacity-building, vocational training, skills development and people-to-people exchanges.

He said that an important outcome of the visit was the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in disaster management.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said another important engagement was visit of Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, who arrived in Islamabad on 1 November for his first official visit to Pakistan, at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar. On 2 November, the DPM/FM co-chaired the Symposium on Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building and Seminar on China-Pakistan Governance. He highlighted the role of political parties in governance and national development, the broad political consensus underpinning Pakistan-China friendship, and the importance of closer party-to-party exchanges. Minister Liu Haixing, in his keynote address, appreciated Pakistan's efforts to promote party-to-party engagement. The visit reaffirmed the importance both countries attach to sustained political exchanges as an important pillar of the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said earlier, on 26 October, Pakistan and China held the Third Round of the Pakistan-China Spokespersons' Dialogue in Islamabad between the Spokespersons of the two Foreign Ministries. The dialogue focused on strengthening cooperation in media engagement, strategic communication, and public diplomacy. During the visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ms. Mao Ning also called on the DPM/FM, who reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to further strengthening the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and highlighted the importance of enhanced communication and people-to-people ties.

Furthermore, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar received UK Minister of State for Security, Mr. Dan Jarvis, in Islamabad on 05 November 2026. They discussed bilateral cooperation, regional developments and the R4+E4 framework. The DPM/FM underscored the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil and called for concerted international efforts to counter terrorism.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said alongside these engagements, the Foreign Secretary held a series of meetings with diplomatic representatives to strengthen Pakistan's bilateral and regional partnerships. On 23 October, he received the ASEAN Ambassadors and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to deepening cooperation with ASEAN.

On 27 October, he met Ambassadors of European Union member states to discuss further strengthening the longstanding Pakistan-EU partnership, while on 30 October, he received Ambassadors of the Arab Group and exchanged views on strengthening Pakistan's fraternal ties with Arab countries. During the same period, the Foreign Secretary also held separate meetings with the Ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Ukraine, as well as the British High Commissioner, to review bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said during the period under review, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar also held a series of telephone conversations with his counterparts from friendly countries. On 25 October, 2026 Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, called on the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar. They discussed bilateral cooperation, including CPEC, trade, investment and regional developments, reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promoting regional peace and stability. On 26 October, DPM/FM spoke with the Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. They discussed bilateral relations, cooperation at multilateral forums, and regional developments, and agreed to maintain close coordination.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said on 28 October, the DPM/FM held separate telephone conversations with the Foreign Ministers of Oman and Tajikistan. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, continued high-level exchanges, regional developments, and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said on 1 November, he held separate telephone conversations with the Foreign Ministers of the Maldives and Uzbekistan. With the Maldivian Foreign Minister, discussions focused on building upon understandings reached during the recent visit and advancing bilateral cooperation. With the Uzbek Foreign Minister, the two sides discussed preparations for the 2027 SCO Council of Heads of State Summit, the SCO calendar of activities, and regional developments. On 4 November, the DPM/FM spoke with the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. They exchanged views on regional and international developments and underscored the importance of continued dialogue and diplomatic engagement for regional peace and stability, agreeing to remain in close contact.

On the same day, Ambassador of Iran, Reza Amiri Moghadam, called on the DPM/FM at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides discussed bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest. The DPM/FM reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to further strengthening its close and brotherly ties with Iran. Regional developments also came under discussion, with the DPM/FM underscoring the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in promoting peace and stability in the region.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said moreover, on 5 November, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held separate telephone conversations with the Foreign Ministers of Oman, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi, and Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and recent regional and international developments. The DPM/FM underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and diplomatic engagement to address outstanding issues and promote lasting peace, security and stability in the region.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said that on the multilateral front, Pakistan achieved an important diplomatic success at the United Nations General Assembly's First Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security. On 3 November 2026, the First Committee of the 81st UN General Assembly adopted three resolutions sponsored by Pakistan, reflecting the international community's continued support for Pakistan's longstanding initiatives on security assurances for non-nuclear-weapon States and regional approaches to arms control and confidence-building.

He said that the resolution entitled 'Confidence-building Measures in the Regional and Subregional Context' was adopted without a vote. The resolution entitled 'Conventional Arms Control at the Regional and Subregional Levels' was adopted with an overwhelming majority of 180 votes. Earlier, Pakistan's resolution entitled 'Conclusion of Effective International Arrangements to Assure Non-Nuclear-Weapon States Against the Use or Threat of Use of Nuclear Weapons' was adopted by 122 votes, with none against. Pakistan has, for decades, led initiatives at the United Nations to advance priority issues of conventional arms control, confidence-building measures and regional disarmament. At the United Nations, on 5 November the Security Council adopted by consensus a Pakistan-initiated Presidential Statement on the role of diplomacy during active hostilities.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said that building on Security Council resolution 2788 (2025), the Statement underscores the importance of sustained diplomatic engagement, including mediation, good offices, and continued channels of communication, to facilitate ceasefires, de-escalation, and durable political settlements. Its adoption reflects Pakistan's continued commitment to multilateralism, dialogue, diplomacy, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Moving to Pakistan's counterterrorism cooperation with international partners, the annual Pakistan-United Kingdom Counterterrorism Dialogue was held in Islamabad on 4 November 2026.

He said that The Pakistan delegation was led by Dr. Fareha Bugti, Director General (Counter Terrorism), while the UK side was headed by Mr. Thomas Barry, Director for National and Economic Security at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Both sides reviewed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation and reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. In the same vein, responding to unsubstantiated allegations by the Afghan Taliban regime regarding civilian casualties attributed to Pakistan's counter-terrorism operations, Pakistan categorically rejected the baseless claims.

He said that disinformation and misleading narratives will neither obscure the threat posed by terrorist networks operating from Afghan territory nor absolve the Afghan Taliban regime of its responsibility to prevent Afghan soil from being used to plan and launch attacks against Pakistan. These attacks have resulted in more than 3,500 casualties which include over 1400 martyred in 2026 alone.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said in the context of Pakistan's national security, on 4 November 2026, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level meeting to review matters concerning Pakistan's water security. The meeting deliberated on the legal, diplomatic and technical aspects of national water security. The DPM/FM reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to safeguarding its sovereign rights and directed close inter-ministerial coordination to advance national interests. The meeting was attended by the Ministers for Water Resources and Information and Broadcasting, relevant Federal Secretaries and senior officials.

He said that as part of economic diplomacy, on 30 October, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a pre-event briefing for Islamabad-based Ambassadors and diplomats on the forthcoming Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026. Officials from the Ministry, Petroleum Division, and OGDCL briefed participants on the Forum's programme, thematic sessions, participation arrangements, and opportunities for Government-to-Government and Government-to-Business engagement. The briefing aimed to familiarise the diplomatic community with the Forum and encourage international participation in Pakistan's minerals and investment sector. The Ministry also continued its outreach to youth, academic, cultural, religious, and professional communities.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said on 2 November, a 40-member delegation of the Youth Forum for Kashmir visited the Ministry. The delegation was briefed on Pakistan's foreign policy priorities, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and Pakistan's continued support for the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

He said that on 3 November, a 126-member delegation of the 28th National Security Workshop of the National Defence University, headed by Major General Muhammad Raza Aizad, HI (M), visited the Ministry. The participants were briefed on Pakistan's foreign policy priorities, key diplomatic achievements, bilateral partnerships, regional cooperation, and multilateral engagement. Also on 3 November, a 20-member Sri Lankan delegation comprising academics, religious leaders, and media representatives visited the Ministry. The delegation was briefed on Pakistan's Gandhara Buddhist heritage, religious tourism, the Kartarpur Corridor, and opportunities for enhanced academic, cultural, archaeological, and people-to-people cooperation.

Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan said on 5 November, a delegation of the Pakistan Navy War Course, comprising approximately 150 Pakistani and foreign officers and faculty members, visited the Ministry. The participants were briefed on the Ministry's functioning, Pakistan's foreign policy priorities, bilateral partnerships, and key regional and international developments.

These engagements reflect Pakistan's continued commitment to constructive diplomacy, stronger bilateral and people-to-people partnerships, multilateral cooperation, and the promotion of regional peace and stability through dialogue and respect for international law.