“Islamabad has no interest or desire in escalation”: Pakistan Foreign Minister to Turkey counterpart amid tension with Iran

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 19 (ANI): Amid the diplomatic standoff, Pakistan caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani had a telephonic conversation with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on Friday and said Islamabad has no interest or desire in escalation, Geo News reported.

Pakistani Minister Jilani shared Pakistan’s perspective and the recent happenings. “Pakistan’s Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar was aimed at terrorist camps inside Iran,” he said.

It reported that the phone call came a day after the exchange of positive conversation between the top Pakistani and Iranian officials.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch shared the details of private conversation between Additional Foreign Secretary Rahim Hayat Qureshi and his Iranian counterpart Seyed Rasoul Mousavi on her X handle, saying: “Some positive exchanges.”

However, in a retaliatory attack two days after Iran airstrikes terrorists camps inside Pakistan’s Balochistan province, Pakistan launched strikes on ‘terrorists hideouts’ inside Iran on Thursday.

In a statement, the Pakistan Army said the ‘hideouts used by terrorist militant organisations’, namely Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), were successfully struck in an intelligence-based operation, code named — “Marg Bar Sarmachar”.

In an X post today, the FO additional secretary responded to his Iranian counterpart’s letter, saying he reciprocated the sentiments of “dear brother Seyed Rasoul Mousavi.”.

He said Pakistan and Iran have fraternal relations and the countries to move forward to resolve all issues through positive dialogue.

He said it is important to restore trust and confidence that has always defined bilateral relations between the two countries, Geo News reported.

“Our common challenges including terrorism require coordinated action,” he added.

Mousavi said he believed that Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the endpoint of the prevailing tensions between the two countries.

“Leaders and high officials of both countries know that only terrorists and enemies of both countries benefit from the existing tension between the two neighboring countries,” he wrote on X in Persian.

As per Geo News report, Pakistan Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has summoned separate meetings of the federal cabinet and the National Security Committee (NSC) on Friday (today) to discuss situation arising out of Pak-Iran tension.

The prime minister who was in Davos to attend meeting of the World Economic Forum, cut shot his visit to return to the country.

The cabinet would review the scenario in the backdrop of strikes and airstrikes by Iran.

The meeting would also be briefed on the border situation, operational preparedness and the briefing of the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs given to the media on Thursday.

The cabinet would also discuss matters with regard to preparations for the February 8 elections.

The NSC meeting to be attended by Cabinet members who are members of the Committee, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, three services chiefs, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), would hold consultations on the current situation on Pak-Iran border.

Some important decisions are expected with regard to country’s internal and external security.