ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has maintained that political changes following US midterm elections would not affect bilateral relations, calling for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve tensions between the United States and Iran.
Foreign Office has also said that there is no visa ban on Indian nationals, stating it would consider issuing a visa to the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab if he wished to visit Pakistan.
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan stated this while addressing his routine weekly media briefing on Friday.
He added Pakistan maintained excellent relations with successive US administrations and viewed Washington as an important partner in trade, investment, security, counterterrorism and minerals. He said the US midterm elections were an internal matter and would not affect Pakistan’s engagement with Washington.
Commenting on the Iran crisis and reports of a possible nuclear threat by US President Donald Trump, FO spokesperson described any threat to use nuclear weapons as a serious matter but declined to comment on speculation.
He stressed that disputes should be resolved through political dialogue and diplomacy rather than war.
Sajjad Haider Khan also highlighted Pakistan’s role in facilitating engagement between Washington and Tehran, saying the two countries had not been in direct contact for 47 years before Pakistan helped bring them to the negotiating table, culminating in the signing of the Islamabad MoU. He said Pakistan would continue supporting efforts for regional peace and stability.
On India’s opposition to Pakistan’s resolution on conventional arms control at the UN General Assembly’s First Committee, he said 180 countries had voted in favour while only India and Israel opposed it. He said the resolution promoted restraint, balance and dialogue, while growing Indian-Israeli defence cooperation and the acquisition of advanced weapons systems were raising concerns about strategic stability in South Asia.
Rejecting allegations of restrictions on Indian religious pilgrims, the spokesperson said Pakistan had issued 9,318 visas to Indian pilgrims in 2025, including 9,070 Sikh and 248 Hindu pilgrims. Another 4,002 visas were issued to Sikh pilgrims during the first half of 2026. He said there was no visa ban on Indian nationals and Pakistan remained ready to facilitate religious visits.
Regarding the Kartarpur Corridor, he said Pakistan had invested substantial resources in providing facilities for Sikh pilgrims and was prepared to welcome them. However, the movement through the Corridor remained suspended from the Indian side. He urged India to allow Sikh devotees to visit their religious sites in Pakistan.
The spokesperson said Pakistan would consider issuing a visa to the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab if he wished to visit, adding that permission from the Indian government to travel was a separate matter.
On the Pakistan-Iran border, he said recent security concerns and clashes had disrupted the movement of some pilgrims but stressed that Pakistan had imposed no ban on their travel. He also confirmed that an LNG carrier, Al Maida, carrying cargo destined for Karachi and struck by projectiles in the Persian Gulf, had returned safely to Qatar. Its 25 crew members, including Pakistani nationals, remained unharmed.
The Foreign Office further said the Makkah Defence Agreement was a defensive arrangement and was not directed against any country, including Iran. The ECO Interior Ministers’ meeting had been postponed due to the regional security situation and flight cancellations.
To question, the spokesperson also criticised Israel’s expansionist policies, saying its actions in Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Iran had contributed to instability across the region.
On Afghanistan, the spokesperson rejected allegations concerning civilian casualties during Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations and reiterated concerns over terrorist networks operating from Afghan territory. He said Pakistan continued to raise the issue with international partners, including the United Kingdom. He also said discussions concerning the proposed transfer of Afghan refugees from the United States were ongoing with relevant stakeholders, with no final arrangement announced.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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