Senate seeks update on Iran-US diplomacy
In the Iran-US conflict latest news from Islamabad, the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a comprehensive briefing on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s engagements at the United Nations and on Pakistan’s role in the Iran-US conflict. The panel, chaired by Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, also directed officials to cover the Makkah Pact and evolving regional and international developments at its next meeting.
The committee was told about the prime minister’s UN visit and key talks held on the sidelines. Members noted that a recent visit to Pakistan by the UN Secretary-General reflected the country’s diplomatic outreach. Lawmakers said they want a fuller picture of how those contacts relate to tensions between Iran and the United States and to related regional diplomacy.
Oversight gaps and the Foreign Secretary
Senators welcomed the newly appointed Foreign Secretary and praised his earlier work presenting Pakistan’s view as Permanent Representative to the United Nations. They also expressed concern that the Foreign Minister was not present, stressing that his attendance matters for meaningful parliamentary oversight of foreign policy.
Beyond the Iran-US conflict file, the sitting reviewed Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan, reforms in Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) document attestation, and priorities under Pakistan’s leadership roles in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO). An in-camera briefing covered the current state of ties with Afghanistan, including key issues and recent developments. Senators Sherry Rehman, Rubina Qaim Khani, Anusha Rahman Ahmed and Amir Waliuddin Chishti attended.
Attestation delays and digitisation plans
The committee voiced concern over delays in the Foreign Office’s digital document attestation system even after extensive digitisation. Officials said MoFA has digitised general attestation—about 65 percent of the total attestation workload—by linking with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) database, while keeping a manual facility for the public. Apostille attestation makes up about 35 percent of the workload, and the ministry is planning to integrate its system with NADRA (Pakistan’s national identity database) to make the process faster, more secure and more efficient.
Chairman Durrani directed HEC, NADRA and MoFA to bring a comprehensive plan for an integrated e-attestation mechanism to the next meeting. He also told NADRA and MoFA to introduce QR-code-based verification to cut unnecessary delays and human interaction, and asked the ministry to raise public awareness so citizens can use the digital services already available.
SCO, ECO and what comes next
Officials briefed the committee on Pakistan’s priorities as it assumes the SCO leadership role for the first time, including plans for events around an upcoming summit focused on artificial intelligence, regional connectivity, youth engagement, bilateral cooperation and stronger regional diplomacy. On the ECO Council of Foreign Ministers, the panel stressed using leadership roles to advance economic and strategic interests, including efforts to operationalise inter-regional trade quotas and transit trade and transport arrangements.
The chairman said Pakistan must turn SCO and ECO roles into concrete economic opportunities, better connectivity and stronger bilateral ties, and urged MoFA to take a proactive approach. The immediate parliamentary demand remains a detailed Foreign Office briefing on the prime minister’s UN work in the context of the Iran-US conflict, the Makkah Pact and shifting regional developments.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Senate ki Foreign Affairs Committee ne Foreign Office se detail maangi hai ke PM Shehbaz Sharif UN mein kya meetings kiye aur Pakistan Iran-US tension mein kya role le raha hai. Unhon ne Makkah Pact aur region ke aur masail par bhi update chaha. Is ke sath document attestation mein deriyon ki shikayat bhi ki gayi, kyunke logo ko papers attest karwane mein dikkat hoti hai. Agli meeting mein ministry se is sab ki clear briefing mangwaayi gayi hai.
