Poland praises Pakistan's peace diplomacy, calls for dialogue in South Asia and Middle East

ISLAMABAD: Polish Ambassador Maciej Pisarski on Thursday lauded Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach and mediation efforts amid rising international tensions, stressing that dialogue, regional cooperation and diplomacy remained the only sustainable path toward global peace and stability.

Addressing a “Meet the Press” session at the National Press Club Islamabad, the Polish envoy praised Pakistan’s growing diplomatic role in regional affairs, particularly its efforts to help ease tensions between the United States and Iran.

“Only a few countries maintain relations with both parties involved in the conflict. This reflects the trust both sides place in Pakistan,” Ambassador Pisarski remarked, describing Islamabad’s position as diplomatically significant in the current geopolitical climate.

The event, attended by journalists, diplomats and members of the press club administration, focused on bilateral relations, regional stability, economic cooperation and international security challenges.

Welcoming the ambassador, National Press Club President Razaq Sial and Secretary Rao Furqan highlighted the importance of engagement between diplomats and the media in strengthening international understanding and promoting constructive dialogue.

Speaking during the session, Ambassador Pisarski described Pakistan-Poland relations as “warm, friendly and steadily expanding” across political, economic and cultural spheres.

The envoy said Poland strongly supported diplomacy and negotiations as the preferred means of resolving disputes, expressing hope that ongoing efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East would succeed.

“Peace and stability are essential not only for the region but for the wider international community,” he said.

Referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Pisarski reiterated Poland’s support for a resolution based on United Nations principles, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“These are not only European values, but universal human values,” he stated.

The ambassador said recent high-level engagements had opened a “new chapter” in bilateral relations between Pakistan and Poland. He referred to the recent visit of Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski to Pakistan, during which meetings were held with Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari.

According to Pisarski, those engagements created fresh opportunities for cooperation in political, economic and strategic sectors, while follow-up contacts between both countries’ foreign ministries had continued afterward.

He also highlighted recent discussions in Warsaw involving Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on counter-narcotics cooperation, law enforcement coordination and tackling irregular migration.

On economic ties, the ambassador revealed that bilateral trade between Pakistan and Poland had reached nearly $1.3 billion and was steadily growing. He identified technology, IT, management and investment as key sectors with strong future potential.

Pisarski encouraged Pakistani businesses to take greater advantage of the European Union’s GSP Plus framework, saying the arrangement was designed to improve Pakistani exports and contribute to economic growth and higher living standards.

“The purpose of GSP Plus is not to secure advantages for Europe alone, but to improve opportunities for the people and support economic growth,” he observed.

The envoy further said both countries were working to expand cultural exchanges, academic collaboration and think tank engagement to deepen people-to-people ties.

Discussing defence cooperation, Pisarski said Pakistan and Poland were seeking to revive bilateral defence collaboration that had slowed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ambassador also praised Pakistan’s tourism potential, particularly for Polish mountaineers and adventure travelers. He recalled that legendary Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz became the first woman to summit K2 in 1986, calling it a historic symbol of the longstanding connection between Polish adventurers and Pakistan’s northern mountain regions.

Commenting on South Asian affairs, Pisarski expressed hope for improved relations between Pakistan and India, saying cooperation and economic connectivity could benefit the entire region.

Drawing comparisons with Europe’s own historical experience, he stressed that no country could fully prosper in isolation from its neighbors.

“We would like to see improved relations between Pakistan and India because cooperation and dialogue can bring greater benefits to the entire region,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Pisarski reaffirmed Poland’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Pakistan across diplomacy, trade, defence, culture and regional peace initiatives, while emphasizing that sustained dialogue remained essential for resolving international conflicts and promoting global stability.