In a comprehensive weekly press briefing on Wednesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that the successful finalization of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the subsequent Lake Lucerne Summit have powerfully reinforced global faith in dialogue and diplomacy as the most effective mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of international conflicts.
Spokesperson Andrabi highlighted Pakistan’s continuous, high-stakes mediation efforts since late February, when the outbreak of hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran triggered a severe global fuel crisis and critical maritime blockades. Reflecting on the international praise Islamabad has received, Andrabi noted that this global recognition directly underscores the international community’s profound trust in Pakistan’s credibility as a neutral, stabilizing anchor in Southwest Asia.
#WATCH: Following the Islamabad MOU and Lucerne talks, Pakistan’s foreign office says international recognition of its diplomatic role reflects trust in its efforts to advance peace and stability. https://t.co/yEsTZz9tPm pic.twitter.com/KUn3AxrZK9
— Arab News Pakistan (@arabnewspk) June 24, 2026
Technical Implementations of the Swiss Peace Accord
Elaborating on the direct negotiations held over the weekend in Switzerland, the Foreign Office detailed five core agreements reached between Washington and Tehran to operationalize the 14-point Islamabad MoU:
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High-Level Political Oversight: The establishment of a permanent, high-level joint committee to provide direct political oversight and facilitate ongoing mediation.
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60-Day Peace Roadmap: A binding, structured timeline directing technical teams to hammer out a definitive, permanent peace treaty within 60 days.
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Hormuz Safe Passage Protocol: Immediate communication lines established between the primary combatants to prevent maritime miscalculations and guarantee the unhindered transit of commercial cargo ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
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Trilateral De-Confliction Cell: A dedicated operational cell connecting U.S. and Iranian technical teams with the Lebanese government to permanently halt frontline fighting in the Levant.
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Sustained Mediator Engagement: Specialized technical working groups from Pakistan and Qatar will remain deployed in Europe over the coming weeks to oversee compliance and resolve implementation disputes.
During the briefing, Andrabi extended formal appreciation to domestic media networks, praising Pakistan’s press corps for demonstrating exceptional professional maturity and respecting the strict confidentiality requirements vital to executing sensitive, multi-party diplomacy.
Crisis Management: Targeted Campaign to Free Hostages from MT Honour 25
Turning to critical consular and humanitarian affairs, the Foreign Office provided a detailed briefing on the intensive political and diplomatic campaign launched to secure the release of 11 Pakistani seafarers. The nationals have been held in brutal conditions by Somali pirates since April 21, when armed militants hijacked the commercial merchant vessel MT Honour 25 off the southeastern coast of Somalia.
Acknowledging the immense pain and frustration experienced by the families of the captives, who have faced structural roadblocks for months, Andrabi emphasized that the state is treating the hostage crisis with the highest urgency:
“This is a highly complex and difficult situation, but it is an issue very close to our hearts because of the profound suffering of the families,” Andrabi stated. “We have launched a sustained diplomatic and overall political campaign, prioritizing humanitarian negotiations as our primary path to bring these seafarers home safely.”
The Federal Hostage Response Matrix:
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Direct Diplomatic Channels: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has established a direct line with the Somali Foreign Minister, while senior diplomatic officials are engaged in ongoing negotiations with Somali federal authorities.
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Frontline Technical Deployments: Specialized working groups from the Embassy of Pakistan in Djibouti are conducting regular, high-risk operational visits into Somali territory to engage directly with local stakeholders and tribal leadership.
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Interministerial Coordination: An emergency interministerial cell has been established within Islamabad to streamline intelligence sharing, manage communications with the hostages’ families, and coordinate tactical response options.
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Multi-Channel Interlocutors: Pakistan is actively leveraging the assistance of friendly regional countries, localized East African non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and renowned international human rights activist Ansar Burney to open secondary negotiation lines with the pirate networks.
The Foreign Office closed the briefing by reassuring the nation that despite the volatile security landscape in the Horn of Africa, the government will continue to deploy every available diplomatic, financial, and humanitarian lever until all 11 crew members are repatriated to Pakistan.
