Ishaq Dar, Omani FM discuss Houthi attacks in Islamabad talks

Ishaq Dar and Oman’s foreign minister held talks in Islamabad on Wednesday on Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and regional peace.

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi is in Pakistan on a two-day visit. He came to attend the 8th Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), which met after a gap of seven years.

At the session, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the two sides held detailed talks on the US-Iran war. In addition, they reviewed the Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia, the blockade of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab and the crisis in Gaza.

The ministers also discussed Jammu and Kashmir, along with other urgent issues in the region, Dar said.

Ishaq Dar seeks a return to calm

“I think we think alike,” Ishaq Dar said of the views on the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. He added that both countries should do their utmost to settle these disputes.

Dar also described how the conflict has hurt Pakistan. According to him, the war has broken energy supply chains and sent fuel prices soaring.

In his words, ordinary people cannot bear the cost, and the pain extends across the world. “What we need to do is to bring back the sanity,” he said.

He added that Pakistan and Oman can both play “a very vital role” in restoring peace and calm.

Over recent weeks, Houthi strikes on civilian and oil targets in Saudi Arabia have killed more than a dozen people. Meanwhile, Iran’s hold on the Strait of Hormuz continues to choke energy flows.

Oman praises Pakistan’s role

Albusaidi, for his part, praised Pakistan for promoting dialogue at a dangerous time. “We appreciate Pakistan’s role that has helped create space for dialogue,” he said.

He added that Oman values the space Pakistan has helped create for talks between Iran and the United States.

Ishaq Dar, in turn, praised the Omani minister’s personal work for peace. “I personally greatly admire your efforts,” he told him. Dar also described Pakistan’s position on the Gulf Cooperation Council as “very unique.”

Trade and investment on the agenda

Beyond security, both men called for stronger economic links. Ishaq Dar said the two countries should avoid long gaps between meetings, given the scope for trade and investment.

Dar said he would travel to Oman in 2027 for the commission’s next round. He noted that diplomatic ties are 55 years old, but that bonds between the two peoples go back “centuries,” especially through Balochistan and Gwadar.

Albusaidi said both countries are carrying out major economic reforms. He pointed to openings in trade, logistics, ports, energy, food security, technology and tourism.

“The potential exists, and our task is to remove any obstacles,” he said. He also urged greater contact between private businesses on both sides. Both sides also run a joint business council, and their foreign ministers meet through a political consultation mechanism, he said.

Earlier, the Foreign Office said the two ministers reaffirmed their close and brotherly ties. They also stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the best path to lasting peace across the region.