Transcript of the Press Briefing by the Spokesperson on Friday 12th September 2025
Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Assalam-o-Alaikum
Welcome to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the Israeli aggression against the brotherly country of Qatar. This highly provocative and reckless action constitutes a blatant violation of Qatar's sovereignty as well as international law, the UN Charter, and the established norms governing interstate relations.
Pakistan expresses its complete solidarity with the brotherly State of Qatar against this unprovoked and unlawful aggression. This reckless action by Israel is yet another manifestation of its continued disregard for international peace and security, and its policy of destabilizing the region. Pakistan has consistently maintained that such impunity must not be tolerated by the international community.
We reaffirm our principled position in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar and call upon the international community to hold Israel accountable. Pakistan will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the brotherly people and the leadership of Qatar in defense of their national sovereignty and security.
Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, undertook an official visit to the State of Qatar to express solidarity with the people and the leadership of the State of Qatar in the wake of the recent Israeli attack on Doha. During his visit, the Prime Minister held a very warm and cordial meeting with the Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The Prime Minister conveyed Pakistan's strongest condemnation of the Israeli attack on Doha on September 9, terming it a blatant and flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said that the leadership and people of Pakistan were deeply disturbed by this attack against the brotherly State of Qatar that constituted a serious breach of international law.
While reaffirming the historic, fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Qatar, the Prime Minister stated that the two countries had proudly stood with each other through thick and thin. It was in this spirit of brotherhood that Pakistan stood shoulder to shoulder with His Highness the Amir, the Royal Family of Qatar and with the brotherly people of Qatar during this challenging time.
He assured the Qatari leadership of Pakistan's full solidarity and support in the face of this unjustified provocation. He also conveyed deep sympathies on the loss of precious lives in this dastardly and heinous attack by Israel and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. The Prime Minister emphasized that Israel's brazen aggression in the Middle East must be stopped and the Ummah needed unity among its ranks in the face of Israeli provocations.
The Prime Minister appreciated Qatar's responsible, constructive and mediatory role in efforts to bring peace in Gaza, and stressed that such acts of Israeli aggression were clearly meant to undermine regional stability and threaten ongoing diplomatic and humanitarian efforts.
The Prime Minister said that at Qatar's request, Pakistan had requested for an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss the recent developments in the Middle East. He also welcomed Qatar's decision to host an Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit on September 15, and said Pakistan had indicated its willingness to the OIC to co-sponsor and co-convene this Summit. The visit reaffirmed the deep-rooted brotherly ties between Pakistan and Qatar and their shared commitment to peace and stability in the region.
At the request of Algeria, Pakistan, and Somalia, the UNSC convened an urgent meeting on the aggression against Qatar. The request was supported by other Council members also. During the session, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, said that this irresponsible action by Israel was yet another manifestation of its systematic disregard for international law, and its brazen policy of destabilizing the region. It adds to its long and dubious record of aggression, brutal military actions in Gaza, repeated cross-border strikes in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen - all of which amount to violations of the UN Charter and International Humanitarian Law. Such acts of aggression, as defined by UNGA resolution 3314, also set a dangerous precedent, erode the primacy of the rule of law, and breed a culture of impunity that threatens the security of all states.
He added that at a time when delicate negotiations on Gaza peace deal were progressing towards a possible breakthrough, striking the territory of a principal mediator and those directly involved in negotiations is a deliberate attempt to sabotage diplomacy, derail peace efforts, and prolong the suffering of the civilians. He emphasized that it is evident, that Israel, the occupying power, is bent on doing everything to undermine and blow up every possibility of peace.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, undertook an official visit to Pakistan from 8 - 9 September 2025. He was accompanied by a high-level 13-member delegation, including the Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan.
During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and also called on the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari.
During the delegation-level talks, the two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations. Discussions focused on enhancing trade and investment flows, expanding agricultural cooperation, advancing collaboration in information technology, education, culture, and tourism, and strengthening regional connectivity through logistics and transport links. They also exchanged views on enhancing coordination at multilateral fora.
Following delegation-level talks, the two leaders also signed the Action Plan of Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. The Action Plan provides a structured roadmap for intensified engagement in diverse fields including politics, trade and economy, defense and security, science and technology, culture, tourism, humanitarian assistance, and consular facilitation.
Before the delegation-level talks, meetings of the visiting Kazakh delegation were held with Pakistan's Ministers of Communications, Railways, and Commerce. Moreover, the meetings of Joint Working Groups (JWGs) on IT and Agriculture were also held. The Kazakh delegation also visited the National Aerospace Science & Technology Park (NASTP) to explore cooperation in the IT sector. Moreover, the Kazakh DPM also held a business meeting with capitals of Pakistani industries.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, spoke with the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov on 10 September 2025.
The two leaders discussed bilateral matters of mutual interest and followed up on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's recent meeting with President Aliyev on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.
The Turkish Minister of National Defence, Yaşar Güler visited Pakistan on 08-10 September 2025 to lead the Turkish delegation for the 16th Session of the Pakistan-Türkiye Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC).
Minister Güler also called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and held meetings with Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during his 3-day visit.
During the call on the Prime Minister, the two sides shared their commitment to further deepen the bilateral cooperation between the brotherly countries in all areas of mutual interest. During the meetings of Minister Güler with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the strategic and defense cooperation.
The 16th JMC was co-chaired by Pakistan's Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Minister Güler. The meeting provided an opportunity to follow-up on agenda of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC). Key outcomes of the meeting focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, pharmaceuticals, information technology, e-commerce, connectivity and transport, education, mining, agriculture, media, and tourism.
Pakistan assumed the Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) on 10 September 2025.
In its capacity as the Chair of SCO-RATS, Pakistan will work towards fostering regional cooperation against terrorism, in line with shared priorities, guided by the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, equality, and shared responsibility. It will also host events and activities across key domains — including cyber counter-terrorism, information operations, border security, countering terrorist financing, and capacity-building — to deepen collaboration. As a frontline state in combating terrorism, Pakistan continues to make unparalleled sacrifices to ensure safety and security not only of its own people but the region and beyond.
As a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Pakistan has also been entrusted with key responsibilities in the counter terrorism domain, among others. Pakistan will continue to work with international and regional partners to advance collective efforts against terrorism, in line with the principles of SCO, international law and the United Nations Charter.
Pakistan is deeply grieved at the loss of precious lives in Nepal. We convey condolences to the bereaved families and offer prayers for the swift recovery of the injured. We trust that the resilience of the Nepalese people will shape a future marked by harmony and renewed hope.
The people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIОJK) continue to face different oppressive measures by the Indian authorities. Grant of bail has, once again, been denied to prominent Kashmiri leader, Mr. Shabbir Ahmed Shah, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Besides, around two weeks back, the local authorities arbitrarily decided to take over 215 private schools run by the Falah-e-Aam Trust. These coercive steps are a clear manifestation of the high-handed approach of the Indian authorities. We urge them to respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people, and grant them their inalienable right to self-determination, as enshrined in relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Mr. Shabbir Ahmed Shah and thousands of other Kashmiri political prisoners should also be released.
I thank you.
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(Mateen Haider, G News): My question is regarding Israeli attack on Doha, Qatar, during ongoing negotiations for a peace deal in Palestine. The Prime Minister of Pakistan also undertook a visit to hold a meeting with the Qatari Amir to assure Qatar of Pakistan's support, but tell us about the steps that the Muslim Ummah will be taking or the strategy which is going to be presented at the Emergency Session of the Arab-Islamic Summit scheduled on 15th September 2025, and if, of course, Pakistan will also be represented? What is the practical solution to the crisis in Gaza as well as Israeli aggression against Qatar and other regional states, including Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Yemen, all instances strongly condemned by Pakistan? What proposals will Pakistan be presenting to prevent further Israeli aggression against Muslim countries and for peace to prevail?
(Khawaja Nayyar Iqbal, Media Today): Sir, the Defence Minister and former Foreign Minister, Khwaja Asif, has stated that Israel is America's first and last priority and now the Israeli Prime Minister is threatening Pakistan directly. So, is it time to stop the aggressor or should we wait for our turn?
Spokesperson: Mr. Mateen, about your question, we will keep updating you on the Emergency Session of Arab-Islamic Summit being held on 15th September. The details are being worked out, and as the details become ready, we will share it. Diplomatic position of Pakistan has been articulated at United Nations Security Council. We were one of the conveners of the meeting, and you must have seen the press statement issued by the UN Security Council. It, of course, is a product of the consensus of the entire Council, but specifically for Pakistan's position, I will request you to again look at the statement by Pakistan's Ambassador, which is very clear in articulation of our position.
Similarly, the statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, and also the statement issued by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, they are very clear that repeated Israeli attacks against sovereign states in the region are a matter of grave concern, not only for the Muslim Ummah but also for the wider international community. These provocations represent a dangerous pattern that threatens regional peace and security. The issue has been actively taken up within the OIC, whose member States have strongly condemned the aggression and expressed full solidarity with the affected countries, most recently, Qatar. An extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit has also been called in Doha on 15th September to deliberate on a joint response. Pakistan, along with other Muslim countries, had called for urgent deliberations at the UN Security Council, which have already concluded. The Muslim world remains united in its demand for an immediate end to Israeli hostilities and for respect of international law and UN Charter.
(Shaukat Piracha, Aaj TV): We are seeing that Israel is expanding its sphere of aggression in its neighborhood. Moreover, the recent statement made by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, where he drew parallels between the Israeli attacks on Doha and the attack in Abbottabad, a few years ago, against OBL, is being widely reported. Regarding this statement, is there any concern in Pakistan for its own security? And if you allow, I have a second question, sir, which is that despite massive flooding in Pakistan, Pakistan has not forwarded any flash appeal through UN to the international community. Is the preparation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs underway in case the government decides on any flash appeal or is the Ministry opposed to seeking international assistance from the platform of the United Nations?
Spokesperson: Sir, about the first question, the part where you refer to the statement made by the Israeli Prime Minister, frankly, we do not respond to statements by the purveyors of genocide. Secondly, what is happening right now in the Middle East, which is our immediate neighborhood, we follow it very closely. But let me be absolutely clear, Pakistan is fully capable of defending itself against any external threat. Pakistan remains a responsible nuclear state and a proponent of regional peace and stability. However, any misadventure or threat to Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity will be met with a resolute response. About the question on international appeal this, I would request you to refer your question to NDMA. Primarily, it is a political decision, the government will be taking the overall situation into account including the international situation, the domestic situation and the severity of floods. Once a decision is taken the Foreign Ministry is here to implement government's directives.
(Abdullah Momand, Dawn News): Sir, the Turkish Defense Minister visited Pakistan and he called on the Field Marshal, the Defense Minister and the Prime Minister. Is any proposal pertaining to Türkiye's establishment of a defense drone industry in Pakistan being considered? My second question is that last week, a delegation of local leaders of Afghanistan visited Balochistan and Pakistan handed over 53 dead bodies of Afghan citizens, who were killed during the anti-terrorism operation, to the visiting delegation. Is there any confirmation on this?
Spokesperson: Speaking of Pakistan-Türkiye bilateral relations overall, Türkiye is one of our closest partners and friends. We share a long-standing, robust partnership within which, of course, defense cooperation is an important component of a larger, deeper cooperation, which covers multiple areas, including economy, trade, people to people contact, culture, tourism etc. So, defense cooperation is an important component of that. But on this specific visit by the Turkish Defense Minister, he was here as the co-chair of the Joint Ministerial Commission, which is part of the overall architecture of dialogue between Pakistan and Türkiye. From our side, it was led by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and from the Turkish side, it was led by the Defense Minister. So, he was here for that purpose. About the visit of the Afghan leaders and the handing over of the dead bodies, I need to check. I am not aware of it at this point in time. I will check the facts and get back to you.
(Muhammad Saleh Zaafir, The News): Sir, the President has either left for China or is leaving for China today, I wish to know that was there any urgency involved in this visit of the President, because his home province is undergoing severe floods and the situation is getting out of control? The other part of my query is that does the President plan on going for his medical checkup during his visit to China? And if you permit me another question, there are reports that the Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, is leaving for the UK on next Thursday, and there is a possibility of him also travelling to the United States, Southern New York, for meetings with the leaders over there who will be attending the UNGA Session, can you confirm this?
Spokesperson: Sir, about the first question, the President's visit has been in the works for a long time. It was not an eleventh-hour decision as this has been in discussion between the two countries for a long time. A lot of preparation has gone into it. Our curtain raiser explains the context and the schedule of the visit. On the Chief of Army Staff's visit, I will refer you to ISPR.
(Khalid Mehmood, Express News): Sir, the UK's Home Minister issued a statement regarding Pakistanis on immigrants. Strict policy measures have been announced and Pakistan has been recorded in the list of third world countries which have been left behind. Need your comment on this.
Spokesperson: The Home Secretary statement does not mention Pakistan. Pakistan and the UK maintain a very robust relationship. The UK remains a very close friend and partner of Pakistan, and in line with the positive direction and the richness of our relations, the two countries maintain a strong and constructive cooperation on issues relating to migration, consular issues, including return and readmission, law enforcement, judicial cooperation, border control, capacity building and legal migration. This cooperation is streamlined through various agreements such as transfer of prisoners and the UK-Pakistan Readmission Agreement. These frameworks facilitate close collaboration on the repatriation and management of individuals in accordance with the law reflecting our mutual commitment to justice and the rule of law. Both countries continue to work together to address shared challenges in the spirit of partnership, mutual understanding and respect. And also, I wish to highlight that we are one of the few countries which has a return agreement with the UK. For example, if any national from our side is caught who has entered the UK illegally, or is there illegally, in terms of expired visa, and if we are satisfied that he is a Pakistani national, we take him back. And the UK has such agreements with very few countries. So, there is no question of Pakistan being a target of a specific policy. We are doing much more than the countries in the region for that matter.
(Zeeshan Yousafzai, Dunya News): Sir, Pakistan and the US companies signed an agreement on rare earth minerals. How this process will proceed further on critical rare earth minerals?
Spokesperson: Commercial agreements have their own mechanism. SIFC is facilitating it. Please keep in view, the banks are involved for raising capital for which the banks do due diligence and meet their fiduciary requirements, including assessing the financial solvency of the projects. So, there is nothing, in a way, which is kind of behind the curtains. Such arrangements are regular corporate agreement. And we will encourage investment from all over. About the specifics of a particular commercial agreement, again the Foreign Ministry is not in a position to explain to you the details. I would refer you to SIFC for that.
(Anwar Abbas, 24 News): Sir, I have two questions. Firstly, how many times India alerted Pakistan about floods. Secondly, price of gold in Pakistan has increased from Rs. 250,000 to Rs 300,000. After the extraction of gold reserves, do you think price of gold will drop in the future?
(Asghar Ali Mubarak, The Daily Mail International): Sir, my colleague Piracha sahib asked question about floods that how many International agencies contacted Pakistan. Sir, I would like to add that on 19 September, 1960 Indus Water Treaty was signed. But on Pakistani waters, 19 dams have been built on Pakistani rivers by India which are illegally stealing Pakistan's waters and are in violation of provisions of Indus Water Treaty. As my colleague asked, putting Indus Water Treaty in abeyance then releasing floods into Pakistan without warning through proper channel, which resulted in devastating effects on Pakistan's agriculture and economy, so will Pakistan take up this matter to the International Court of Justice?
Spokesperson: I am sorry; I am not in a position to speculate on the gold price. On how many times India shared flood alerts, I will have to check the exact figures as I do not have them readily available. I can check it for you. But what I can reiterate is that also in the last briefing I had spoken on this: the Indian side indeed shared some information about the floods in different rivers through diplomatic channels. However, it is not as detailed as in the past. Besides, the established channel of the Indus Water Commissioner has not been used. In that context, we reiterate that India should fully comply with all the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, and observe the sanctity of the Indus Water Treaty. Our commitment to the treaty and our position has been very clearly highlighted at the senior most level. There is no ambiguity on that.
(Zahid Farooq Malik, Daily Metro Watch): Considering our achievements in Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos and internationally, the way you people performed at the diplomatic front. According to reports, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not going to the UN General Assembly session. Maybe he does not want to face the current situation. When is Pakistan's delegation going? Please give us an update.
Secondly, everyone is saying that we are not asking donors for donation and aid to tackle flood issue. What are the reasons behind it? Was it the way we utilized aid in the past or we did not provide a plan on utilization of 1 billion dollars or we became so self-sufficient that we do not need aid and we will tackle the flood issue on our own?
Spokesperson: I will respond to the first part of the question: Of course, the annual UN General Assembly session is a very important diplomatic event, and there is obviously natural curiosity on the part of the press corps regarding the participation level. We are finalizing the details at the moment. We will share the details with you once finalized.
About the flood situation, what I can explain to you is that there is a broader context in which government works in terms of expectation of help, requirement of help, when to launch it, how to launch it. These modalities are being reviewed. The government is seized of the matter, and the rescue and relief efforts are ongoing. The second stage is rehabilitation. So, the Government will decide according to its own priorities, if an appeal has to be launched or not.
(Anas Mallick, Capital TV): Thank you very much, Spokesperson. Two questions: Firstly, the Bangladeshi Religious Affairs Adviser met the Prime Minister when he was visiting Islamabad, and he handed over a letter from the Bangladesh Chief Advisor as well, and the Bangladeshi Chief Advisor also. As per the statement by the PMO, he invited the Prime Minister to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time. My question is that, is there a high level visit, either from Islamabad to Dhaka or from Dhaka to Islamabad, particularly in the works. Number one.
Number two, the issue you mentioned about the Arab Islamic Summit, the Prime Minister was recently in Doha. Are we expecting him to travel for the Arab Islamic Summit as well? Thank you.
Spokesperson: About the first question, in the last briefings, we had discussed these issues. Between friendly countries, high level visits are routinely discussed but at this point in time, I do not have any specifics to share with you about the concrete information of any high-level visit from Islamabad to Dhaka or Dhaka to Islamabad.
About the second question, we are working on it, and soon we will be issuing press release on that to keep you updated about our participation in the Arab Islamic Summit in Doha.
(Naveed Siddiqui, Business Recorder): Sir, though this is out of provincial government's ambit to discuss national level issues with the other countries or foreign countries, but CM KPK Ali Amin Gandapur has said he has been tasked to travel to Afghanistan for peace talks with the Taliban Interim government, but he cannot travel because his passport has been blocked since 2023 by the Federal government.
Spokesperson: I can make a broad point. Under the constitutional arrangement, Foreign Affairs fall under the purview of the Federal government. It decides how to conduct foreign relations, the modality and related details. So, any provincial government's involvement has to be in consultation with the federal government. This is the broad principle which is self-evident. I am not in a position to comment about whether the honorable Chief Minister's passport is blocked or not. For that I will refer you to the Interior Ministry. I am not aware of it.
(Noor Aimen Zahra, 365 News): According to American magazine, 'Foreign Affairs' US chooses Pakistan over India. And as we saw in the past years, relations between the US and Pakistan were on the edge, and now things have turned around for Pakistan. So how you will comment on this?
Spokesperson: I am not in a position to comment on individual articles. You read various opinions, but what I can reiterate is the US remains an important priority of our foreign policy. We have been persistent and consistent in our approach to further strengthen and develop strong bilateral relations with the US, which have a very rich history and legacy. There is a good legacy to build on, further development of Pakistan - US bilateral relations.
(Aijaz Ahmed, GNN): Sir, again I have question related to floods. Sir, you already informed us how many times India warned about floods but my question is: what is the requirement of Indus Water Treaty? Under provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, how many hours before potential floods, India has to inform Pakistan? Were these provisions violated by India and if yes, then how many times?
Secondly, there are reports that India intentionally released more flood water than it should have. Is there a mechanism of Foreign Ministry with other ministries that shares report on how much India released water and did it release more water than it should have which resulted in floods in Pakistan?
Spokesperson: Again what I can explain is that as I mentioned earlier, first of all, information was not as detailed as it should be. Secondly, the channel used was not the Indus Water Commissioner, where there is a certain particular format which has evolved over the years, that channel was not used and a diplomatic channel was used. Beyond this, I will repeat what I said in last briefing, that I do not have the facts right now that how much water and at what time should have been released. These are the technical details. I do not have this information.
(Azaz Syed, Geo News): Sir, Saudi Arabia built a counter-terrorism military coalition in April 2017 and Pakistan's former army chief, General Raheel Sharif was appointed as its Commander-in-Chief. Since then till now, Israel has attacked different Muslim countries at least 12 times. Firstly, what is the status of this military coalition whose Commander-in-Chief is former Army Chief who was appointed with the consent of the Pakistani government? Secondly, was there any dialogue to activate this coalition in the current context or will Pakistan raise its voice to reactivate this military coalition in OIC? Thank you.
Spokesperson: Very simple answer: I need to check on the details. This is a good question. Let me check.
Thank you.
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