ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departed for the Philippines on Tuesday to attend a key Asia-Pacific security forum, with Islamabad expected to use the platform to reinforce its calls for dialogue and regional stability after its recent mediation between Iran and the United States elevated its diplomatic profile.
The visit comes as Pakistan seeks to translate its role in facilitating US-Iran negotiations into broader diplomatic engagement beyond its immediate neighborhood, positioning itself as a proponent of dialogue at a time when conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere continue to threaten regional stability, global energy supplies and international trade.
“The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, will lead Pakistan’s delegation at the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting, to be held in Manila, Philippines, on 23 July 2026,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement ahead of the visit.
“At the ARF Ministerial Meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will participate in discussions on political and security issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region, with a special focus on promoting peace, stability, and mutual cooperation through sustained dialogue and diplomacy,” it added.
According to the foreign ministry, Dar will also hold bilateral meetings with his Philippine counterpart and several participating foreign ministers and dignitaries on the sidelines of the forum.
Pakistan’s participation comes weeks after Islamabad helped broker an interim peace framework between Iran and the US, a diplomatic effort that briefly eased tensions before renewed hostilities placed the understanding under strain. Pakistani leaders have since repeatedly urged all sides to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue, warning that a wider conflict could destabilize the region and disrupt global energy markets.
While Pakistan’s foreign policy has traditionally been shaped by developments in South Asia and its western neighborhood, Islamabad has in recent years stepped up engagement with Southeast Asian nations through trade, connectivity and multilateral diplomacy, seeking to expand economic and strategic ties with the fast-growing region.
Established in 1994, the ASEAN Regional Forum is the region’s principal multilateral platform for dialogue on political and security issues. Pakistan joined the forum in 2004 and has since participated in its ministerial meetings and regional security initiatives as part of its broader engagement with the Asia-Pacific region.
