Pakistan PM tells UN Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab must remain open

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that the strategic Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab Strait must remain open as vital arteries of global commerce. "Amid the roar of missiles, drones, and guns, the voice for diplomacy must echo even louder and stronger," Sharif said, calling the waterways "arteries" of the global economy that must connect nations rather than become chokepoints of confrontation.

Islamabad has served as a mediator between Washington and Tehran since the US and Israel launched military action against Iran on February 28, helping secure a ceasefire on April 8 and hosting more than 20 hours of talks between American and Iranian officials in the capital. A framework agreement brokered by Pakistan in June granted the sides 60 days to negotiate a longer-term deal, though retaliatory strikes have since resumed and tensions continue to simmer.

Mecca pact and Indus waters

Sharif addressed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed last month by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, stating the pact is "not directed against any country." "It is instead a collective commitment for defense, stability and peace in the region, and nothing more," he added.

Turning to the Indus Waters Treaty, the prime minister warned that "water must never be weaponized." He declared that "any attempt to stop, impede, or divert Pakistan's share of the waters will be treated as an act of war," referring to India's suspension of water data sharing following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last year.

Kashmir and regional security

The Pakistani leader thanked US President Donald Trump for brokering a ceasefire between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan last year, crediting the American leader with saving "hundreds of millions of lives in South Asia." On the disputed Kashmir region, Sharif pledged Islamabad's "full diplomatic, political, and moral support" until residents "are granted their inalienable right to self-determination," declaring that "Kashmir has, and always will be, Pakistan's jugular vein!"

He voiced concern over the "alarming rise in Islamophobia" and said religious hatred "must have no place in this world." Pakistan has chosen "dialogue over confrontation," "cooperation over coercion," and "peace over war," Sharif said, urging all sides to restore trust and preserve stability.