Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaybani has become the first Syrian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan in nearly two decades. His Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar held talks with him on bilateral cooperation and regional development in Islamabad.
Shaybani arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday night on his maiden two-day trip, his first since the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024. The Syrian foreign minister and his delegation met Dar at the Foreign Ministry, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
In addition to talks with Dar, Shaybani is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other top officials. This is the first visit by a Syrian minister to Pakistan in 19 years. The last Syrian foreign minister to visit Pakistan was Walid al-Muallem in 2007, nearly two decades ago.
A Pakistani delegation had met Shaybani in Damascus last year in June. During the talks, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Syria’s sovereignty. The remarks came after an Israeli attack on an air base in Syria a day before.
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During the talks, the two sides “reaffirmed the long-standing brotherly ties, expanding bilateral cooperation and expanding views on regional and international development, including Palestine, the Golan Heights, Afghanistan and the situation in South Asia and developments in the Middle East,” the foreign office said.
Al-Shabani also appreciated the signing of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey and lauding Pakistan’s role in mediating regional peace in offering its mediation for regional peace and stability, particularly in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
“Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement and cooperation for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond,” FO said.
Foreign Office shared the pictures of his visit to the Islamabad on X. Pakistan had condemned the Israeli attack on an air base in Syria, saying such acts had the potential to further undermine regional peace and stability.
