ISLAMABAD – Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held series of crucial behind-the-scenes meetings with top global leaders, positioning Pakistan at the heart of urgent international peace efforts.
Dar engaged with foreign ministers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bangladesh, Algeria, Austria, Northern Cyprus, and Singapore, turning the sidelines of the forum into a hub of intense diplomatic activity.
Met my brother, Ahmed Attaf @AhmedAttaf_DZ, Foreign Minister of Algeria, on sidelines of #ADF2026 in Antalya today.
We discussed further strengthening fraternal Pakistan-Algeria ties and exchanged views on regional & global developments.
FM Attaf appreciated Pakistan’s role in… pic.twitter.com/a2yTSvIS7E
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) April 17, 2026
Pleased to meet Ms. Gan Siow Huang, Ministers of State for Trade & Industry of Singapore, on the sidelines of #ADF2026 in Antalya today.
As we mark 60 years of Pakistan–Singapore diplomatic relations, we reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthening cooperation across all… pic.twitter.com/q6kv1spfgn
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) April 17, 2026
DPM / FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met with Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Foreign Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), on sidelines of #AntalyaDiplomacyForum, @AntalyaDF.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation… pic.twitter.com/AmUsQj5H5J
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) April 17, 2026
Pleased to meet Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, on the sidelines of #ADF2026 today.
We discussed strengthening Pakistan–Bangladesh ties and exchanged views on regional developments, including Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue. I look forward to our… pic.twitter.com/mlgZnjq34d
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) April 17, 2026
It was a pleasure to meet Elmedin Konaković, Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on sidelines of #ADF2026 in Antalya.
We reaffirmed the strong historical bonds between Pakistan and Bosnia & Herzegovina, having stood by each other in times of hardship and crisis. Also… pic.twitter.com/TZyAwyIwrk
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) April 17, 2026
Great meeting with Beate Meinl-Reisinger @BMeinl, Foreign Minister of Austria, on sidelines of #ADF2026 in Antalya.
We reaffirmed positive trajectory of Pakistan–Austria relations and our commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation, including sustained high-level… pic.twitter.com/G4BhRb8YHX
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) April 17, 2026
During a key meeting with Austria’s foreign minister, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Dar highlighted the growing momentum in Pakistan–Austria ties and reaffirmed Islamabad’s push for deeper cooperation. In a significant acknowledgment, Austria praised Pakistan’s behind-the-scenes role in facilitating sensitive US-Iran negotiations. Both sides stressed that sustained engagement remains critical to preventing further instability.
In talks with Algeria’s foreign minister, Ahmed Attaf, Dar received strong recognition for Pakistan’s efforts in helping secure an initial ceasefire in a volatile region. The discussion centered on expanding bilateral relations while pushing forward diplomacy as the only viable path to lasting peace.
A meeting with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s foreign minister, Elmedin Konaković, struck a more emotional chord, as both leaders reaffirmed their countries’ deep-rooted ties forged during times of crisis. They also exchanged views on rapidly evolving regional developments.
Dar’s engagement with Bangladesh’s foreign minister, Khalilur Rahman, focused on revitalizing bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on Pakistan’s growing role as a facilitator of dialogue in tense geopolitical situations.
Earlier, in discussions with Northern Cyprus’s foreign minister, Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, both sides pledged to strengthen cooperation, especially in education and improving the welfare of the Pakistani diaspora — a move seen as strengthening people-to-people ties.
Meanwhile, Dar’s meeting with Singapore’s minister of state, Gan Siow Huang, marked 60 years of Pakistan–Singapore relations. Both countries vowed to expand cooperation across sectors, while Singapore voiced strong support for Pakistan’s diplomatic push to resolve regional conflicts peacefully.
As these rapid-fire engagements unfolded, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was simultaneously conducting a high-profile regional tour. After meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, he traveled to Doha for critical talks with Qatar’s leadership, before heading to Türkiye to meet President Erdogan and attend the same forum.
These back-to-back diplomatic moves come amid rising tensions in the Middle East, where conflict involving Iran, the United States, and regional powers has pushed the region to the brink. Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, have faced Iranian strikes targeting US and Israeli-linked sites, escalating fears of a broader war.
Pakistan has stepped forward as an unexpected but pivotal mediator, helping broker a fragile ceasefire and initiating the first round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad. The country’s growing diplomatic role is now drawing global attention as it pushes for dialogue over confrontation in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
