The outgoing year 2024 remained an active year for Pakistan's diplomatic and foreign policy landscape, marked by enhanced regional and global ties.                

At her yearly roundup briefing in Islamabad today, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said our diplomatic efforts throughout the year were aimed at increasing Pakistan's international profile and enhancing relations with countries in all regions of the world.

She said frequent high-level exchanges during the year amplified our efforts as visits with Azerbaijan, China, Belarus, Belgium, Egypt, the United kingdom, Turkiye, Iran, Jordan, Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and others helped develop important understandings with these countries.

The Spokesperson said in South Asia, Pakistan continued to pursue a policy of peaceful neighborhood, based on mutual respect, sovereign equality and mutual benefit.

She said Pakistan advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir. It also urged India to take steps to create conducive environment for advancement of peace and dialogue, as India’s retrogressive actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir have vitiated the bilateral environment and impeded the prospects for peace and cooperation.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Afghanistan remained a priority on the agenda of Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach. Trade connectivity and people-to-people contacts were a priority in our engagement with Afghanistan.

She said Pakistan’s major concern of terror hideouts and sanctuaries inside Afghanistan remained high on our bilateral agenda.