Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to travel to Tehran on Friday to participate in the funeral prayers of the late Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with other federal cabinet members.
During a press briefing in Islamabad, the Foreign Office spokesperson emphasized that the prime minister’s attendance at the funeral will reaffirm Pakistan’s solidarity and support for Iran, describing the two nations as brotherly countries. Khamenei was martyred on February 28, coinciding with the first day of Israeli and US strikes on Iran. The funeral proceedings will commence in Tehran on July 4, with the burial planned for July 9 in his hometown of Mashhad.
Following his visit to Iran, PM Shehbaz will proceed to Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. There, he is expected to address a business conference in Istanbul, highlighting the importance of strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
Meanwhile, indirect US-Iran negotiations continue in Doha, where Pakistani mediators have conducted separate meetings with representatives from both sides. Positive progress has been reported on various aspects of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with all parties agreeing to advance the negotiation process and schedule the next round of talks as soon as possible. Pakistan, alongside Qatar, remains committed to facilitating these discussions.
The spokesperson also noted that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has maintained active engagement with foreign ministers and senior officials from Saudi Arabia, China, Bahrain, Iran, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, underscoring Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach.
In a separate development, Afghanistan’s charge d’affaires was summoned to express strong protest over a recent terrorist attack in Karachi. Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul also delivered a formal protest note to the Afghan Foreign Ministry. The attack targeted a Pakistan Rangers camp in Sindh, resulting in the martyrdom of three personnel and injuries to four others. The militants, linked to the Indian proxy group Jamaat ul Ahrar, were neutralized, and an injured Afghan national was apprehended.
Evidence indicates involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist activities within Pakistan, raising serious concerns about the use of Afghan territory and citizens for such attacks. Authorities have warned that action will be taken against Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan without valid visas or legal documentation.
Regarding the recent international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty held in Islamabad, participants underscored the necessity of honoring the water-sharing agreement and resolving disputes through diplomatic means. Pakistan firmly rejected India’s unilateral suspension of the treaty, with attendees calling for measures to prevent the weaponization of water resources. The spokesperson cautioned that any attempt to deprive a country of its rightful share of water could threaten regional peace and security.
