Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is set to embark on a diplomatic tour of Iran, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan starting today, in a bid to express gratitude to key allies for their support during the recent armed confrontation with India.

According to government officials, Sharif will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The first leg of the tour begins in Tehran, where the prime minister is scheduled to meet senior Iranian leaders from May 25 to 26. During his stay, Sharif is expected to brief Iranian officials on Pakistan’s military response to what Islamabad has called “unprovoked Indian attacks” on several cities and strategic facilities.

Sharif will then travel to Ankara on May 26 for meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, scheduled for May 27. The tour will conclude in Baku on May 28, where Sharif will hold discussions with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other top officials.

The agenda for these high-level talks includes the recent India-Pakistan conflict, regional security, and enhanced cooperation in defense, diplomacy, and trade. Sharif is expected to return to Islamabad on May 29.

Türkiye and Azerbaijan were among the few countries that publicly backed Pakistan during the confrontation, prompting what officials described as retaliatory diplomatic measures from India against the two nations.

Sharif’s diplomatic outreach aims to reaffirm Pakistan’s strategic alliances and promote dialogue for peace and stability in South Asia. (ILKHA)