Pakistan has reaffirmed its support for Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
The affirmation was made by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a meeting with his visiting Syrian counterpart Asaad Hassan al Shaibani in Islamabad on Thursday, according to an official statement.
Al Shaibani arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday night on his maiden two-day trip, his first since the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024.
His visit comes after Israel launched an unprovoked attack on the Abu al-Duhur Airbase in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province on Tuesday.
The two sides held "wide-ranging" delegation-level talks, reaffirming their longstanding "brotherly" ties and agreeing to strengthen further bilateral cooperation across areas of mutual interest, the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
The ministers also exchanged views on regional and international developments, including Palestine, the Golan Heights, Afghanistan, the situation in South Asia, and developments in the Middle East.
The Syrian foreign minister welcomed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed earlier this month between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan and commended Islamabad's "constructive" role in promoting regional peace and stability, including its efforts toward the de-escalation of the US-Iran conflict.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement and cooperation for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.
In addition to talks with Dar, al Shaibani is expected to meet with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other top officials.
This is the first visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Pakistan in 19 years.
A Pakistani delegation met Shaibani in Damascus last June.
