Pakistan, Syria Hold Talks on Expanding Cooperation, Regional Developments

ISLAMABAD: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday discussed avenues to expand and strengthen bilateral cooperation

They also held “in-depth” discussions on regional developments.
The Syrian minister had arrived in Islamabad early on Thursday on an official visit on Dar’s invitation.

In a post on the social media platform X, the Foreign Office (FO) said the two sides held a “warm and constructive” restricted meeting, where they “reaffirmed the deep-rooted brotherly ties between Pakistan and Syria”.

The two also discussed advancing bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest and regional developments.

Earlier, the FO shared pictures of the visiting minister arriving in Islamabad on X.

“Upon arrival, the distinguished guest was received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ additional secretary (Middle East),” it said.

The visit comes as Syria’s transitional leadership pursues regional and international engagement following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

The visit also reflects Pakistan’s efforts to re-engage with Syria at a time of major political transition in Damascus. Since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad’s government in 2024, Syria’s new leadership has sought to rebuild relations with regional countries and secure diplomatic recognition and economic support for the country’s reconstruction.

Pakistan and Syria have historically maintained cordial relations, although bilateral engagement remained limited during the years of Syria’s prolonged civil war. Islamabad had continued to support a political settlement to the conflict and emphasised Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and the need for stability in the war-ravaged country.

The discussions come amid a broader realignment in the Middle East, following years of conflict involving Syria, Israel, Iran and several regional powers. Syria’s transitional authorities are seeking to navigate these complex regional dynamics while consolidating control at home and expanding ties with Arab, Muslim and other countries.

For Pakistan, greater engagement with the new Syrian leadership could provide an opportunity to strengthen its diplomatic profile in the Middle East and explore cooperation in political, economic and reconstruction-related fields. The visit also underscores Islamabad’s interest in maintaining dialogue with countries undergoing political transitions at a time of rapidly changing regional alignments.