The governments of China and Pakistan have jointly proposed a five-point initiative aimed at ending hostilities in the Gulf and Middle East amid growing concerns over worsening security and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
The proposal follows a meeting in Beijing between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, during which both sides reviewed the escalating situation in the region. In a statement issued by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and cited by the Ghana News Agency on Friday, April 3, the two countries stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy. They urged all parties to commit to a peaceful resolution of disputes and to refrain from the use or threat of force during negotiations.
The initiative also calls for strict adherence to international humanitarian law, with both countries urging parties in the conflict to avoid attacks on critical civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, desalination plants, power systems, and peaceful nuclear installations.
China and Pakistan further appealed for the protection of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, calling for the safety of vessels and crew members stranded in the area and the swift restoration of normal maritime traffic. The statement emphasised that the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of Iran and Gulf states must be respected, while also calling for a stronger commitment to multilateralism under the United Nations framework.
Meanwhile, the UN has warned that the world is edging closer to a wider conflict with potentially catastrophic global implications, following months of intense fighting triggered by the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by United States and Israeli forces.
In retaliation, Iran has carried out strikes targeting infrastructure in several Gulf states, including airports, oil facilities, residential areas, and diplomatic missions, which it claims are legitimate military targets. International agencies, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, have warned that rising tensions are already affecting global markets, with food prices increasing and likely to rise further if the conflict continues.
Amnesty International has called on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians, urging an immediate end to unlawful and disproportionate attacks on civilian populations and infrastructure.
The conflict, which has now spread across more than ten countries, continues to raise alarm over mounting civilian casualties and widespread destruction of critical infrastructure across the region.–GNA
