Pakistan’s Minister of State for Law & Justice, Barrister Aqeel Malik, addressed the Global Mediation Summit Annual Dinner in Hong Kong today, reaffirming the country’s commitment to mediation as a path to both economic stability and international peace.
Calling Hong Kong “a bridge between legal traditions and a beacon for peaceful dispute resolution,” the Minister outlined Pakistan’s recent progress in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Over the past two years, Pakistan has signed the Singapore Convention on Mediation, signed and ratified the IOMed Convention, set up the International Mediation and Arbitration Centre (IMAC) under the Ministry of Law and Justice, introduced court-annexed mediation, and trained over 1,300 judges, lawyers, officials, businesspeople, and students in mediation and arbitration.
“Our message to investors is simple,” the Minister said. “If you come to Pakistan, you will find not only opportunity but also fair, efficient, and amicable ways to resolve disputes.”
Drawing on a recent diplomatic effort, the Minister revealed that Pakistan helped facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran when tensions threatened to escalate. “We did not seek the spotlight — we sought to facilitate peace,” he said. “Through quiet, persistent mediation, built on decades of trust, we helped both sides step back from the brink.” He added: “Mediation works when the mediator is not a party and the parties trust the mediator.”
The Minister praised China for creating IOMed as the world’s first intergovernmental organization for mediation, and acknowledged Hong Kong’s unique role under “One Country, Two Systems” in building a neutral, professional mediation ecosystem. “Pakistan strongly supports IOMed,” he said. “We see it as the platform where states, investors, and practitioners can build common rules, share best practices, and train the next generation of peacemakers.”
He closed with three calls to the international community: use mediation first, not last; invest in IOMed as the anchor of a global mediation system; and remember that every dispute resolved at the table is a crisis avoided on the battlefield. “Pakistan stands with you in that mission,” he concluded.
The summit also recognized the role of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir in helping avert a wider conflict. A high-level Pakistani delegation led by the Minister of State Barrister Aqeel Malik includes Ehsan Ullah Khan Mahsud, Registrar of IMAC Pakistan, Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, Consul General and Muhammad Amjad, Deputy Consul General, Counselate General of Pakistan in Hong Kong are participating in the summit.
On the sidelines, the Minister met with the Secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong SAR to discuss cooperation under an earlier memorandum of understanding between their ministries. He also met with Professor Teresa Cheng, Secretary General of IOMed, and extended an invitation for her to visit Pakistan. Both sides pledged to promote mediation through joint training and future summits. The Minister congratulated Professor Cheng and the IOMed team on a successful event.
