HONG KONG: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the Convention on the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) on behalf of Pakistan in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China, on May 30, 2025.
Speaking at the event, Dar commended China’s leadership for spearheading the creation of IOMed, emphasizing its role in fostering a global community with a shared future.
Dar highlighted that IOMed’s establishment reinforces the importance of multilateralism for international peace, stability, and development, offering new opportunities to build a more inclusive, just, and equitable world. As a founding member, Pakistan is committed to actively supporting this mission, he affirmed. He reiterated Pakistan’s dedication to promoting peace, security, and development while upholding the principles of the UN Charter, implementing UN Security Council resolutions, and adhering to international law. The Deputy Prime Minister drew attention to India’s violations of international law, including acts of aggression against Pakistan and its unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
He also described the occupations of Jammu and Kashmir and Palestinian territories as significant threats to regional peace, calling for the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The IOMed initiative emerged from the 2nd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April 2019. China began negotiations for its establishment in 2021, inviting Pakistan as a founding member.
The organization, open to all countries, aims to promote dialogue and trust based on equality, respect for sovereignty, and inclusion of diverse legal systems and mediators.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar is set to visit Hong Kong today to participate in the high-level signing ceremony for the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMED).
Scheduled for May 30, the event will mark Pakistan’s formal accession to IOMED as one of its founding members. Deputy Prime Minister Dar will sign the Convention on behalf of the Government of Pakistan and deliver a keynote address during the ceremony. He is also expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event. Pakistan views the creation of IOMED as a significant step towards strengthening international mechanisms for peaceful conflict resolution. In a statement ahead of the visit, the Foreign Office emphasized that mediation, diplomacy, dialogue, and international cooperation remain central to Pakistan’s foreign policy. –Agencies
