Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said Pakistan had consistently pushed for dialogue and de-escalation amid recent tensions in the Middle East, while firmly rejecting India’s use of water as a political weapon.

Addressing a high-level United Nations Security Council debate on maintaining international peace and security in New York, Dar said Pakistan remained committed to peaceful resolution of long-standing disputes in line with the UN Charter.

He thanked Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for convening the session under China’s presidency of the Security Council, saying the meeting was timely given the current global situation.

Dar said the UN Charter clearly defined principles governing relations between states and guaranteed rights including equality and self-determination.

“Pakistan remains committed to the principles of the UN Charter and supports peaceful settlement of disputes,” he said.

Referring to the Middle East situation, the deputy prime minister said Pakistan had emphasised the importance of negotiations and made sincere efforts to reduce tensions.

“The recent escalation has also created economic challenges at the global level,” he added, while thanking friendly countries for supporting Pakistan’s peace efforts.

Dar said the Kashmir dispute had remained unresolved for eight decades and reiterated Pakistan’s support for the rights of Palestinians.

He stressed the need for uniform application of international law and adherence to global treaties and agreements.

The foreign minister also rejected India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

“We do not accept the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. India’s use of water as a weapon is unacceptable under any circumstances,” he told the Security Council.

Dar arrived in New York late Monday on a three-day official visit from May 26 to 28 to attend the UN meetings.

On the sidelines of the session, he is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several foreign ministers and UN officials to discuss regional developments, bilateral ties and multilateral cooperation.

The meetings are scheduled with officials including Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Machanka and Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio.

Later in the evening, Dar is also expected to attend a dinner hosted by Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN in honour of ambassadors and permanent representatives from Arab, Islamic and European countries.