ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday discussed avenues to expand bilateral cooperation and held “in-depth” discussions on regional developments.
The Syrian minister had arrived in Islamabad early on Thursday on an official visit on Dar’s invitation.
In a post on the social media platform X, the Foreign Office (FO) said the two sides held a “warm and constructive” restricted meeting, where they “reaffirmed the deep-rooted brotherly ties between Pakistan and Syria”.
The two also discussed advancing bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest and regional developments.
Earlier, the FO shared pictures of the visiting minister arriving in Islamabad on X.
“Upon arrival, the distinguished guest was received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ additional secretary (Middle East),” it said.
The visit comes as Syria’s transitional leadership pursues regional and international engagement following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
A day earlier, the FO said the two sides would hold in-depth discussions across the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, review avenues for further enhancing bilateral cooperation, and exchange views on regional and international developments.
It also said the visit would mark an important step towards further enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation between Pakistan and Syria.
The visit is the first by a Syrian foreign minister since Walid al-Mouallem travelled to Pakistan in May 2007 and the first since the change of government in Damascus.
The visit also comes after Pakistan on Wednesday strongly condemned an “unprovoked” attack carried out by Israel on an airbase in Syria, saying such acts had the potential to “further undermine regional peace and stability”.
Syria’s state-run Ekhbariya television, citing a military source, said on Tuesday that Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base near Aleppo in northwest Syria. A separate military source and a civilian who lives near the base said there were no casualties.
“Such provocative actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law and have the potential to further undermine regional peace and stability,” the FO said.
“Pakistan expresses its unwavering solidarity with the brotherly people of Syria, and reiterates its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as peace and prosperity of the Syrian Arab Republic.”
