KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan said Friday that divisive bloc politics and great-power contestation are “not tenable for future,” urging renewed commitment to multilateralism and collective leadership in the face of escalating global crises.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum Roundtable in Brussels that the world is confronting “rising conflicts, prolonged foreign occupation, growing major power rivalries, a renewed global arms race, cyber and outer space weaponization, and emergence of new and destructive technologies,” according to a statement from Islamabad’s Foreign Ministry.

“It is therefore imperative to renew our commitment to multilateralism, uphold the UN Charter, and act collectively,” Dar said.

He called for an immediate end to the ongoing atrocities in Gaza and the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands, saying Pakistan supports the recent UN Security Council resolution on Gaza and expects it to lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities, Israeli withdrawal, unhindered humanitarian access, and reconstruction of the enclave.

Dar said global instability is being compounded by trade wars, food insecurity, rising inflation, economic inequalities, energy disruptions, and the impacts of climate change.

“These challenges necessitate leadership and dialogue—not divisions,” he said.

The foreign minister said Pakistan believes the Asia-Pacific region should not become a stage for “strategic rivalry.”

Turning to South Asia, Dar criticized India’s “illegal and unilateral” step to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, calling it a “real threat to regional stability” and urging New Delhi to reverse its position.

“Water must be a source of cooperation, not weaponized for politics,” he said.

He repeated Pakistan’s call for a “peaceful” resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiris.

New Delhi had yet to respond to Dar’s remarks.

Dar said Pakistan sees potential for deeper cooperation through synergies between the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the EU’s Global Gateway, arguing that green, digital, and transport corridors can help build a more sustainable and interconnected EU-Asia-Pacific region.

“Our vision of geo-economics is built around Pakistan’s location as a hub for trade and energy connectivity, a bridge between Asia and Europe,” he said.