By Khawaja Nayyer

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned reported attempts to demolish portions of the historic Shahi Masjid in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India, and rejected what it described as misleading Indian claims regarding the recent Court of Arbitration award on the Indus Waters Treaty.

During the weekly Foreign Office press briefing, spokesperson Sajjad Haider said Pakistan condemned the reported arbitrary action against the mosque and the use of force against Muslims peacefully protesting the attempted demolition.

He said the incident was particularly concerning against what Pakistan described as an increasingly troubling pattern of actions affecting Muslim places of worship and their religious and cultural heritage in India.

The spokesperson said administrative measures and judicial proceedings could not, in Pakistan’s view, obscure what he characterized as an Islamophobic and Hindutva-driven pattern of persecution of minorities. He called upon the international community to take notice of what Pakistan described as continued targeting of Muslims and their places of worship, and urged Indian authorities to fulfill their obligations toward protecting minorities, religious sites and fundamental religious freedoms.

Pakistan clarifies position on U.S. sanctions and Iran

The Foreign Office clarified Pakistan’s position regarding U.S. sanctions related to trade with Iran, saying Pakistan is a responsible member of the international community and will continue to adhere to all applicable sanctions regimes in accordance with international and domestic law.

The spokesperson said earlier remarks attributed to the Foreign Office had been taken out of context and required clarification.

Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to a rule-based international system based on multilateralism and international law, while maintaining constant and constructive communication with relevant stakeholders.

He said Pakistan highly values its longstanding strategic partnership with the United States and remains committed to strengthening diplomatic, economic and security ties with Washington while adhering to established international practices and frameworks.

Regarding tensions between Iran and the United States, the spokesperson said Pakistan, as a mediator in communication between the two sides, believes both countries should exercise restraint, resolve outstanding issues through dialogue and diplomacy, and honor their commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

Pakistan considers the Islamabad MOU a foundation for resolving the dispute peacefully and said negotiations and diplomatic efforts remain the way forward.

Indian SCO official’s Pakistan visit described as welcome development

The Foreign Office described the recent visit of India’s National Coordinator for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to Pakistan as a welcome development.

The spokesperson said National Coordinators from all SCO member states participated in the meeting in Islamabad and noted that the Indian official’s visit was significant because it followed a gap of more than two years since a senior Indian official had visited Pakistan.

He said the Indian official had expressed interest in visiting other Pakistani cities, including Sialkot, Faisalabad and Lahore, and had described Lahore as the cultural capital of the SCO for the coming year.

According to Pakistan, the visit reflected common regional objectives concerning peace, development, connectivity, trade and transit. Islamabad expressed hope that other SCO activities during Pakistan’s chairmanship would continue attracting participation from member states.

The Foreign Office, however, clarified that the visit was part of an SCO engagement rather than a bilateral visit and therefore did not provide details of any separate peace initiative or backchannel diplomacy.

Pakistan rejects India’s objections to Court of Arbitration

Pakistan rejected India’s characterization of the Court of Arbitration established under the Indus Waters Treaty as illegally constituted.

The spokesperson said the Court of Arbitration had unanimously affirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty remains in full force and binding on both Pakistan and India. According to Pakistan, the court also reaffirmed that India must comply with its treaty obligations concerning the design and operation of hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.

He said the court had unanimously imposed measures preventing India from concreting portions of the Ratle Hydroelectric Power Dam, including its walls and power-intake structures above specified levels, until 90 days after the Neutral Expert’s final decision, which is expected around July 2027.

The court also imposed a reporting measure concerning the Ratle Hydroelectric Power Project.

Pakistan said the Court of Arbitration was constituted under the Indus Waters Treaty through the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The spokesperson referred to the court’s July 2023 award, in which it determined its competence and constitution under Article 9 and Annexure G of the treaty and rejected India’s objections.

He said the court subsequently reaffirmed its competence following India’s unilateral announcement concerning the treaty and, in its August 31, 2026 award, rejected India’s claims.

Pakistan maintained that India could not avoid binding arbitral decisions through unilateral declarations or what it described as misleading narratives.

Pakistan rejects allegations regarding Nuristan

Responding to questions about the situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and Afghan claims concerning militants allegedly killed or captured in Nuristan while crossing through Chitral, the Foreign Office rejected the allegations.

The spokesperson said Pakistan would leave operational details concerning recent cross-border developments to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which was scheduled to hold a separate briefing.

He said Pakistan considered it a documented fact that Afghanistan under the Taliban authorities remains a location where terrorist organizations operate. He claimed that more than 36 small and large terrorist organizations are present in Afghanistan and said some of them are involved in activities affecting Pakistan.

Pakistan, he said, remains concerned about the continuation of the situation but also wants peace and stability in the region and respects the sovereignty of other countries.

At the same time, he said protecting Pakistan and its citizens was the responsibility of the government and that Pakistan would take appropriate action when required.

Pakistan-Afghanistan contacts continue

The Foreign Office confirmed that Pakistan and Afghanistan remain in contact through different channels but declined to disclose further details about recent contacts.

On Pakistan’s broader Afghanistan policy, the spokesperson said Islamabad remains interested in friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan.

He recalled that the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister had visited Afghanistan three times during the previous two years and had offered several initiatives and facilitation measures, including assistance for traders and businessmen, tariff reductions and scholarships for students.

Pakistan’s expectation, he said, had been that bilateral relations could be normalized while concerns regarding terrorism emanating from Afghanistan were addressed.

However, the spokesperson said terrorist activity had recently extended beyond Pakistan’s border areas into deeper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

He said Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan could only develop on the basis of trust, mutual understanding and mutual respect for sovereignty. Islamabad’s willingness to engage in dialogue, he stressed, should not be interpreted as weakness.

Pakistan said it remains ready for friendly relations but expects an end to infiltration and activities by terrorist organizations that Islamabad says are being supported or facilitated from Afghanistan.

UK-Pakistan relations

Regarding a meeting between the British High Commissioner and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, the spokesperson said the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation.

He said the Deputy Prime Minister had visited the United Kingdom at the end of August and that multiple activities were now being planned as part of the agreed agenda for expanding bilateral cooperation.

The spokesperson declined to comment in detail on reports that the issue of the detention or condition of the PTI founder had been discussed, referring instead to the official statement issued about the meeting.

UNGA engagements and Pakistan’s role in Iran-U.S. contacts

Questions concerning Pakistan’s engagements during the United Nations General Assembly high-level week were deferred to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who was expected to address the media the following day.

The Foreign Office confirmed that Pakistan had maintained contact with relevant parties and had played a mediatory role between Iran and the United States.

The spokesperson said Pakistan had helped bring about the Islamabad MOU and understood that several conditions being reported in connection with the latest exchanges between Washington and Tehran were already reflected in that understanding.

Pakistan welcomed negotiations and diplomatic efforts between the two countries.

He also confirmed that Pakistan and the United States had remained in contact during recent weeks, although he did not provide further details.

Pakistani national killed in encounter in Pakistan-administered Kashmir

Asked about Indian media reports concerning an individual killed in an encounter in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and allegations that the individual was a Pakistan Army soldier, the spokesperson referred the matter to the ISPR briefing for operational details.

SCO Hockey Tournament

Pakistan said preparations were underway for the SCO Hockey Tournament scheduled to be held from November 20 to December 2.

The spokesperson said participating countries were being contacted for specific confirmations but that he was not yet aware of which countries had formally confirmed participation.

He said Pakistan hoped the sporting event would promote people-to-people contact, sports diplomacy, regional cooperation and mutual understanding among SCO member states.

Russian-origin aircraft and Pakistani airspace

Regarding reports that a Russian-origin aircraft carrying nuclear-energy-related material to Bangladesh had been denied permission to use Pakistani airspace, the spokesperson said Pakistan’s policy was to facilitate the use of its airspace by friendly countries.

He said there appeared to have been a technical issue and that authorities were seeking to determine the circumstances. The matter was expected to be resolved in the coming days.

Iranian airline operations

Regarding U.S. warnings about possible secondary sanctions against countries allowing Iranian airlines to land, refuel or operate, the spokesperson referred to Pakistan’s established position of complying with applicable sanctions and said the matter would be clarified further.

On a previous question concerning a Mahan Air flight, he said the Foreign Office had already provided a detailed response the previous week and that there had been no change in the position.

Pakistani crew members killed in Somalia

The Foreign Office confirmed that three Pakistani nationals had been killed during an operation involving a hijacked vessel in the Somali region.

The spokesperson said the Pakistani nationals had been held captive since April 11 and had remained in captivity for approximately five to six months.

The operation was undertaken to retrieve and release hijacked personnel from different countries. During the operation to recover the vessel, three Pakistanis and two other foreign nationals lost their lives.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Djibouti was travelling to Addis Ababa, while the Deputy Head of Mission was already in Somalia and in contact with hospitalized Pakistanis.

The bodies of the deceased Pakistanis were also in the possession of Pakistani diplomatic representatives.

The Foreign Office said the bodies would be transported through Addis Ababa using Ethiopian Airlines, which operates a direct service to Pakistan. The exact timing would depend on local procedures and medical formalities.

Pakistan said its embassy and government were working to ensure the earliest possible repatriation of the deceased and proper medical treatment and assistance for the injured.

Pakistan-U.S. contact over Middle East situation

The Foreign Office confirmed that Pakistan and the United States had remained in contact in recent weeks concerning the regional situation.

Detailed questions about meetings and engagements during the UN General Assembly high-level week were deferred to the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.

No separate security guarantees sought from SCO members

Regarding security arrangements for upcoming SCO delegations, including Chinese leaders, the spokesperson said the responsibility for ensuring a secure environment rests with the host country.

Pakistan said it was mindful of its responsibilities as host and would make the necessary arrangements for visiting delegations.

He described Islamabad as a peaceful capital and said visiting SCO National Coordinators had appreciated the city’s environment, scenery and hospitality.

SCO official languages

The Foreign Office said that, to its understanding, Russian and Chinese are the official languages of the SCO, with translators and interpreters facilitating proceedings.

The spokesperson suggested that the organization could consider additional languages in the future, noting that Urdu is widely spoken in Pakistan and neighboring countries and comparing the possibility to the six official languages used by the United Nations.

The briefing concluded with Pakistan reiterating its positions on regional diplomacy, security, international law, SCO cooperation and its engagement with neighboring and major international partners.