Omani FM meets PM Shehbaz, commends Pakistan's 'sustained diplomatic efforts' for regional peace

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday and appreciated Pakistan’s “sustained diplomatic efforts” for de-escalation and peaceful solutions to regional challenges, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. Both Pakistan and Oman have been engaged in efforts for de-escalation after US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February resulted in a conflict that has now expanded further into the Middle East. Albusaidi’s meeting with PM Shehbaz was held on the second day of his two-day trip to Pakistan, during which he also attended the eighth session of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) and held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

In his meeting with the Omani foreign minister, PM Shehbaz “highlighted that the strong bond of shared faith, geography, history, culture, and centuries of people-to-people exchanges between Pakistan and Oman provided a strong fraternal foundation to the bilateral relationship”, the PMO statement said. The premier underscored that Pakistan considered Oman a brotherly country, an important maritime neighbour and a valuable partner in a critically important region, it added. “The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the successful convening of the 8th Session of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission. “He hoped that the meeting would provide a strong foundation for further expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and deepening engagement between the two brotherly countries,” the statement said. It further stated that PM Shehbaz “noted with deep satisfaction the unanimity of views between Pakistan and Oman on all regional and global issues”. He appreciated Oman’s “principled stance” of dialogue and diplomacy in…