Premier Shehbaz reaffirms CPEC 2.0 push, Beijing backs Islamabad’s economic reforms and stability efforts
Saifullah Ansar
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday highlighted Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting de-escalation and regional stability amid reported efforts to open a window for diplomacy to end the nearly month-long war between the US, Israel, and Iran, which affected the broader Middle East.
He made these remarks during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, who, along with a delegation, called on him at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office.
The development comes days after reports suggested that Pakistan is positioning itself as a key mediator to help broker an end to the US-Israel war against Iran through active back-channel diplomacy.
The risk of a prolonged war in Iran spilling over into Pakistan is among Islamabad’s biggest fears, analysts and security officials say. Pakistan, which has been engaged in a conflict with the Afghan Taliban, has also suffered from fuel disruptions caused by the Iran war, which was launched by the US-Israel on February 28.
According to international media reports, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir recently held a telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump, with the White House also confirming the contact. Senior Pakistani officials have reportedly been facilitating communication between Tehran and key US interlocutors, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Over the past 72 hours, Pakistan, in coordination with Turkiye and Egypt, has played a pivotal role in relaying messages between Washington and Tehran to prevent further escalation.
Reports also suggest that Islamabad is being considered as a potential venue for a high-level meeting between the United States and Iran later this week, with US Vice President JD Vance expected to attend if the proposal materialises.
PM Shehbaz has also publicly stated Pakistan’s willingness to host talks aimed at resolving the conflict, as diplomatic momentum builds following a shift in Washington’s stance amid concerns from Gulf allies over potential escalation.
