Pakistan must keep door of diplomacy open to prevent a wider regional war: Masood
Islamabad : Former Ambassador of Pakistan to the US, China and the UN and former AJK President Sardar Masood Khan has said that despite the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States, diplomacy remains the only viable path to prevent a wider regional war.
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking in a television interview, he stressed that Pakistan, alongside Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, must continue facilitating dialogue to create conditions for de-escalation and a peaceful settlement.
Sardar Masood Khan warned that the latest escalation has entered a far more dangerous phase with attacks increasingly targeting civilian and critical infrastructure, which he said would deepen humanitarian suffering and destabilize the wider Middle East. He noted Pakistan continues to play an active role by encouraging Tehran and Washington to keep diplomatic channels open.
On the Gulf security situation, he cautioned that threats to maritime routes including Bab al-Mandab and Gulf shipping lanes could disrupt global trade and increase energy prices.
Referring to Azad Jammu and Kashmir, he described phased elections as a practical approach and said democratic continuity must be preserved while ensuring peace and public confidence.
On India, he said ideological trends rooted in Hindutva have extended beyond electoral politics into state institutions, and stressed that sustainable regional peace requires policies based on pluralism and respect for minority rights.
