KARACHI: Pakistan on Saturday hosted the inaugural direct flight by Uzbekistan Airways between Islamabad and Tashkent, marking yet another step toward enhanced regional connectivity and deeper economic ties with Central Asia.

Pakistan has been pushing to forge stronger trade links with landlocked Central Asian nations by offering access to its Arabian Sea ports. While several regional states border Afghanistan, Uzbekistan is seen as a strategic gateway due to its central location in the region and its larger economy.

“The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) proudly hosted the inaugural flight ceremony of Uzbekistan Airlines’ direct service from Islamabad to Tashkent (Flight HY466), marking a significant milestone in enhancing regional air connectivity and people-to-people ties between Pakistan and Central Asia,” said a PAA statement.

The flight, carrying 126 passengers, departed Islamabad at 1:09 p.m. on Saturday, following a festive check-in at Zone 1 of the international airport adorned with balloons, the statement said.

It informed that ambassadors from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan attended the ceremony, joined by airport officials, tourism executives and Uzbekistan Airlines’ country manager.

Pakistan is also advancing plans for a railway link connecting Uzbekistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi and Uzbek officials about the proposed 573‑km Uzbekistan‑Afghanistan‑Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project.

The corridor aims to link Tashkent with Kabul and Peshawar, enhancing freight movement and reducing transit time by up to several days.

The overland route via Afghanistan connects Pakistan’s road and rail network through the mountainous frontier into Afghanistan and onward to Central Asia, offering an alternative to existing northbound trade routes.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday urged the international community and the United Nations to take “urgent and credible steps” to end Israel’s war in Iran, during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a statement from his office.

Israel launched surprise attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities in the early hours of Friday amid Tehran’s negotiations with Washington over its nuclear program. The strikes killed several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists, according to Iranian media, and also caused civilian casualties.

Israel, at war in the region since October 2023, initially launched a military campaign against Gaza following a Hamas assault, which the Palestinian group said was retaliation for decades of oppression. Since then, the Israeli government has expanded its military operations to neighboring Muslim states such as Syria and Lebanon before targeting Iran.

Sharif said Pakistan stood in “resolute solidarity” with Iranian people and government during his conversation with the Iranian president.

“The Prime Minster denounced Israel’s blatant provocations and adventurism as a grave threat to regional and global peace and stability,” said the statement released by his office after the phone call.

“He urged the international community and the United Nations to take urgent and credible steps to put an end to Israel’s aggressive behavior and its illegal actions,” it added. “He stated that Pakistan was fully committed to promoting peace in the region and stood ready to play its role in this context.”

Sharif also conveyed condolences over the loss of life in Friday’s Israeli strike and recalled Pakistan’s statement of support for Iran during an emergency session of the UN Security Council a day earlier.

The Iranian President thanked Pakistan for its solidarity and support and called for greater unity among Islamic countries in the face of escalating regional threats.

UNIFIED STRATEGY

Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif urged Muslim nations to adopt a unified strategy to counter Israel, warning that failure to act collectively would leave them vulnerable, as he expressed full diplomatic support to Iran in a speech to the National Assembly following Israeli strikes.

“Just as Israel is currently targeting Yemen, Iran, and Palestine, if the Muslim world does not unite today and continues to prioritize its own interests and agendas, then everyone’s turn will come,” he told lawmakers.

“An OIC meeting should be convened, and all Muslim countries must come together to devise a strategy through which Israel can be confronted collectively,” he continued. “There is a need for an initiative that reflects the unity of the Islamic world. Wherever there are diplomatic ties with Israel in the Muslim world, they should be severed.”

The Pakistani minister added the Muslim world remained “militarily vulnerable” and voiced what he described as Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with Iran.

NO NUCLEAR TALKS
The Iranian foreign ministry also announced during the day it would no longer take part in planned nuclear negotiations with the United States in Oman, calling them “meaningless” while Israeli attacks continued.

“It is obvious that in such circumstances and until the Zionist regime’s aggression against the Iranian nation stops, it would be meaningless to participate in dialogue with a party that is the biggest supporter and accomplice of the aggressor,” an Iranian spokesperson said, according to international wire agencies.

Israel’s defense minister also warned “Tehran will burn” if Iran continued to launch missiles at Israeli cities. Iran had retaliated on Friday night by launching a barrage of missiles at Israel, with explosions lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Just a day earlier, hours after Israel targeted Iran, Pakistan’s envoy to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, condemned the strike on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, calling it a violation of international law.

“Iran has the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter,” he said, urging all sides to avoid further escalation and emphasizing the need to resolve tensions through diplomacy.