Urges OIC to call emergency summit on Gaza war n President Asif Ali Zardari says Pakistan deeply concerned over escalation of hostilities in Middle East. PM Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan supports an independent Palestinian state with Al Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Israel committing barbarism against innocent Palestinians: Nawaz Sharif. Fazl demands joint platform of leading Muslim countries to evolve common strategy.
ISLAMABAD – A multi-party conference held in Islamabad on Monday demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and end to brutalities being committed by Israeli security forces against the Palestinian people.
The major opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), did not attend the ‘all parties conference’ called by the government on the issue of Palestine citing political tensions following violent protests.
According to the declaration adopted by the MPC held in Islamabad, the forum also called for lifting of the siege of Gaza, provision of unimpeded humanitarian, and medical aid and to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law, war crimes and acts of genocide;
The MPC urged the international community to take urgent measures to prevent Israel from further undermining regional peace and stability, including the prevention of Israeli aggression against Lebanon and other regional countries.
Condemning Israeli oppression, the MPC expressed full support for the ongoing political and diplomatic efforts by the OIC, the League of Arab States, the United Nations, and other brotherly countries in addressing the prevailing situation in Occupied Palestine, as well as for the peace and stability of the broader region.
It called on the OIC to convene an Emergency Summit to discuss the situation in Palestine, Israel’s brutal aggression in the region and its implications for regional peace and security and underscores the need for unity of the Islamic Ummah.
The forum expressed its support to the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Refugees in providing relief to the Palestinian people. It affirmed Pakistan’s determination to redouble its efforts for all possible political, diplomatic, moral and humanitarian support for the brotherly people of Palestine.
The MPC declared unwavering support for the realization of the right to self-determination and other fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, as well as for the establishment of a viable, secure, contiguous, and sovereign State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as well as for the State of Palestine’s full UN membership.
It called on the government of Pakistan to continue extending political, diplomatic and humanitarian support to the brotherly people of Palestine and to support diplomatic efforts for bringing an end to the genocide in Gaza.
The conference decided to observe, with special fervor, 29 November 2024 as a Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Participants strongly reaffirmed the right of the people of Kashmir to self-determination and called for the settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir Dispute in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people and the relevant UN resolutions.
The Multi Party Conference to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine was held at the President House in Islamabad. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted the conference. In his inaugural speech at the conference, President Asif Ali Zardari said it has been one year since the start of brutal Israel’s aggression on Gaza and Palestine, which has resulted in the death of more than forty thousand eight hundred Palestinians.
The president said Pakistan is deeply concerned over the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East and strongly condemns the Israeli barbarism and aggression against Palestinians as well as the assassination of top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah. He said we stand in the solidarity with the people of Lebanon and Palestine. The president said it is regrettable that the international community has failed to stop Israel from committing its ongoing genocide in Palestine especially in Gaza. He said the prevailing culture of impunity and disregard of international law must be addressed urgently.
Asif Ali Zardari said it is crucial for international community to take swift action to de-escalate the situation. He called upon the international community to take immediate steps to halt Israel’s brutalities, prevent further loss of lives and prevent conflict from spilling over.
The president said Pakistan reiterates its call for the United Nations Security Council to uphold peace and security in the region, safeguard Lebanon’s sovereignty, put an end to ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
He said we will continue to raise our voice to all regional and international fora to stop Israel’s human rights violations and aggression. We believe that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without resolving the Palestine issue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
In his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan supports an independent state with Al Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as per aspirations of the Palestinian people. He said immediate halting of the ongoing barbarism and bloodshed in Gaza and Palestine is need of the hour.
He said the people of Palestine are facing worst kind of oppression at the hands of Israeli forces.
The prime minister also announced to form a working group of experts and its teams will be sent to world capitals to highlight the issue of Palestine. Stressing the need for sending more relief goods, Shehbaz Sharif said the government of Pakistan is making necessary arrangements for the Palestinian students in the field of medical education.
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif said Israel is committing barbarism against innocent people of Palestine, including women and children. He questioned the strange silence adopted by the world community on this issue of humanity.
Nawaz Sharif also commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for forcefully raising the issue of Palestine and grave human rights violations by Israel in Gaza during his address to the United Nations General Assembly.
He said the United Nations should implement its resolutions on Palestine and Kashmir. He also urged the Muslim countries to get united and evolve a joint strategy to get the ongoing bloodshed in the Palestine stopped. JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said around fifty thousand innocent Palestinians, including children, women, and elderly have been martyred in Israeli attacks.
He called for taking practical steps to help the Palestinians instead of passing resolutions and issuing condemnations. He said Palestinian Muslims are fighting for their rights and we support them.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said a joint platform of leading Muslim countries should be formed to evolve a common strategy to face multiple challenges.
Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said Israel is carrying out genocide in Palestine. He added that occupied Israeli forces are committing worst atrocities against the humanity.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said we have to take a very clear stance on the Israeli brutalities against innocent Palestinians. He said it is also responsibility of the international community to play its role in stopping the Israeli brutalities in Palestine.
He proposed to convene a meeting of the Islamic countries to adopt a common stance in this regard. He said Pakistan should play a proactive role to launch a diplomatic campaign to highlight this issue at the world fora. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the entire Pakistani nation is standing behind the Palestinian brothers and sisters in their struggle against Israeli oppression. He stressed the need for launching an intensive diplomatic campaign to fight the case of Palestinians on diplomatic and legal fronts. He said media should also be effectively engaged to expose the imperialist, colonial, and Zionist agenda of Israel. He proposed to constitute a high-power committee, having representation from all the political forces of the country, to raise voice for the oppressed people of Palestine.
MQM leader Kahlid Maqbool Siddiqui said Islamic countries should open its educational institutions to accommodate Palestinian students, besides sending assistance to the oppressed people of Gaza.
Balochistan Awami Party leader Khalid Magsi called for getting united to utilize all resources and energy to protect lives of the Palestinian people.
Those, who also spoke on the occasion, include PML-Q leader Chaudhry Salik Hussain, IPP leader Abdul Aleem Khan leader Aimal Wali Khan, National Party leader Jan Muhammad Buledi, Raja Nasir Abbas of MWM, Sunni Tehreek leader Sarwat IJaz Qadri, and Religious Scholar Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi.
