President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, terming it an important step towards reducing tensions and restoring calm in the region, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In a statement issued in Islamabad, President Zardari emphasised that Pakistan attaches high importance to regional stability and believes that sustainable peace can only be achieved through dialogue, mutual respect for sovereignty and adherence to international law. He said the ceasefire presents an opportunity to move towards lasting peace.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s consistent support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, the president said that Pakistan remains actively engaged with regional and international stakeholders, to ease tensions between the United States and Iran, recognising that lasting peace in West Asia depends on addressing the broader drivers of conflict.
Zardari added that Pakistan will continue to support all sincere initiatives that advance de-escalation and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace across the region.
The president cautioned that the current momentum towards de-escalation remains fragile, noting that the broader understanding underpinning the ongoing two-week cessation of hostilities between the United States and Iran envisaged restraint included in Lebanon, which was later violated by Israel.
Zardari observed that any deviation from this spirit risks aggravating tensions. He stressed the importance of restraint and responsible conduct by all parties at this crucial juncture.
PM welcomes ceasefire
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, facilitated through bold and sagacious diplomatic efforts led by US President Donald Trump.
In a post on his X handle, PM Shehbaz expressed the hope that it will pave the way for sustainable peace.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon.
He said Pakistan will continue to support all efforts aimed at lasting peace in the region.
10-day Israel-Lebanon truce begins
A 10-day ceasefire deal struck between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Friday, sending displaced residents streaming south towards their homes, even as the Lebanese army warned of "a number of violations" in the area.
Shortly after the truce went into effect at midnight local time (2100 GMT), the army told residents of the south -- many of whom had to flee their homes following sweeping Israeli evacuation warnings -- not to return, citing "several Israeli acts of aggression".
Nonetheless, AFP images showed packed cars heading southwards along Lebanon's coastal highway before dawn, and crossing at sunrise what was left of a bridge bombed by Israel during the war.
Mediator Islamabad has been leading the international push to restart face-to-face talks between Tehran and Washington with Trump signalling he might fly to Pakistan to sign any agreement -- adding they were "very close" to striking one.
The fighting in Lebanon broke out on March 2 when Tehran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel just a few days after the start of the Middle East war in retribution for the death of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei in the opening waves of US-Israeli strikes.
Gunfire rang out overnight in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah holds sway, as the ceasefire came into effect -- an apparent bout of spontaneous celebration, although that could not be confirmed.
Traffic accumulated kilometres away from the only bridge connecting the coastal region south of Lebanon's Litani River to the rest of the country, as people lined up for hours waiting for a chance to return home, AFP journalists said.
As the ceasefire came into effect, Israel's military said it had struck over 380 "Hezbollah terror organization targets in southern Lebanon" and was on "high alert" to resume strikes.
Trump said he had spoken to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun ahead of the truce, adding the pair had agreed to the truce "in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries".
He later said he expected Netanyahu and Aoun to visit the White House "over the next four or five days".
Reporter Awais Kiyani/Agencies