DG ISPR: Pakistan won’t let Middle East war escalate

Pakistan remains committed to a peaceful, negotiated resolution of the Middle East conflict and is working to prevent the war from spreading further, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said.

In an interview with CNN, the military spokesperson said Pakistan wanted to contain the conflict and reduce differences between the parties through diplomatic engagement. He stressed that expanding the war would benefit no country and warned against further escalation across the region.

Responding to questions about Pakistan’s ability to act as a neutral mediator amid tensions involving Iran, Saudi Arabia and other regional countries, Lt Gen Chaudhry said Islamabad had demonstrated its position as an “honest broker”. He explained that Pakistan had communicated its stance openly to all its partners and maintained a consistent position on regional security.

The ISPR director general said Pakistan had condemned Israeli and US attacks on Iran, as well as Iranian strikes against Arab and Gulf countries. He added that Islamabad’s primary concern was regional peace and stability, emphasising that no party would benefit from a widening conflict.

Discussing the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, Lt Gen Chaudhry said the arrangement would remain strictly defensive. He noted that the three countries were examining the operational aspects of the agreement, while military commanders would determine how its commitments would be implemented in response to security challenges and emerging threats.

Asked whether Pakistani military personnel were already stationed in Saudi Arabia under the arrangement, he said Pakistani troops had maintained a presence in the kingdom for decades. He added that Pakistani personnel were already serving in multiple capacities and operational domains.

Lt Gen Chaudhry also highlighted the longstanding diplomatic, political, military and people-to-people relations between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. He said the defence partnership had developed from these established ties rather than emerging in isolation.

The comments follow a meeting of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Riyadh, where the three countries agreed to implement their collective defence commitments and facilitate the rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the deployment arrangements would follow approved procedures and comply with the national laws of the participating countries. The measures are intended to strengthen military coordination, operational readiness and collective defence capabilities.

Signed in August, the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement provides that an armed attack against one member will be treated as an attack against all. The latest developments come amid heightened regional tensions and efforts to strengthen security cooperation while preventing the Middle East conflict from spreading further.