By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held separate telephone conversations with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts on Wednesday, as regional diplomatic engagement intensifies ahead of key talks on a proposed international stabilization force for Gaza.

Dar spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with the two leaders exchanging views on regional and international developments, discussing matters of mutual interest, and agreeing to remain in close coordination, according to Pakistan Foreign Ministry.

Separately, Dar held a conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, during which they discussed regional developments and underscored the importance of dialogue and diplomacy, agreeing to continue close engagement.

The diplomatic outreach comes as Indonesia announced it is preparing to deploy between 5,000 to 8,000 troops to Gaza as part of the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) under the US-brokered Gaza Peace Plan.

Indonesian Army Chief of Staff General Maruli Simanjuntak confirmed that preparations are underway, though he emphasized that no final decision has been made and the force would focus exclusively on humanitarian and reconstruction efforts.

Crucially, Indonesian officials have stated they will not participate in any disarmament of Hamas or other Palestinian groups --a red line also repeatedly stressed by Pakistan. 

Pakistan has made clear it will only join a force with a "fully transparent, politically neutral mandate focused on humanitarian stabilization rather than disarmament or law enforcement inside Gaza" .

The situation in Gaza remains central to all three countries' diplomatic efforts. Pakistan, Turkiye, and seven other Muslim-majority nations issued a joint statement on February 1 condemning Israel's repeated ceasefire violations, which they warned "risk escalating tensions and undermining efforts aimed at consolidating calm."

Both Pakistan and Turkiye have consistently renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital .

Pakistan has also firmly ruled out joining the Abraham Accords or any normalization with Israel, with Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi stating this week that Islamabad's participation in the Gaza Board of Peace is "in no way connected to any Abraham Accords" and that Pakistan's longstanding position on Palestine remains unchanged .

The first meeting of the Gaza Peace Council is scheduled for February 19 in Washington, with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expected to attend . Pakistan has not yet confirmed its level of participation or any troop commitment, with officials emphasizing that no decision will be made until the ISF's mandate is clearly defined