By Our Diplomatic Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: From holding one-on-one meetings or telephonic contacts with global leaders to activating international bodies and mobilizing the world opinion, Pakistan’s leadership is playing the most active role for salvation of Palestinian people from ongoing Israeli aggression.
From the very first day, Israel launched afresh wave of attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian population in Gaza, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi stood up with a categorical stance to support Palestinians and condemn the Israeli aggression.
After taking up the matter with Saudi leadership during his visit to the Kingdom during Holy Ramazan, the prime minister held a telephonic conversation with Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
He expressed concerns over the latest situation in Palestine and condemned Israeli forces’ heinous attack during the month of Ramazan on the Palestinians in and outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque, defying all norms of humanity and international law. The prime minister joined the trending Twitter campaign with a tweet saying, “I am PM of Pakistan and #We Stand with Gaza, #We Stand with Palestine.”
He received a telephone call from former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and both the leaders underscored the need for the international community to take urgent steps to halt the ongoing attacks, protect the civilians, and facilitate a just and lasting solution based on UN resolutions and two-state vision.
Imran Khan also held a telephonic conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and reassured him of Pakistan’s efforts in mobilizing the international community against flagrant violations of human rights and international law. President Abbas welcomed Pakistan’s support and appreciated Pakistani leadership’s response and its statements condemning Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He also got a telephone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and both the leaders agreed that the foreign ministers of two countries would be working closely together to raise the Palestinian issue at international level.
President Dr Arif Alvi also wrote a letter to Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas and assured of Pakistan’s efforts in mobilizing the international community for the Palestinian cause and raising voice for the Palestinian people.
“Your Pakistani brothers and sisters, including myself share your pain and distress caused by Israel’s indiscriminate killing of innocent Palestinians, including children in Gaza. We express our profound sympathies and condolences for the victims of these attacks and pray for speedy recovery of the injured,” the president further added.
The Foreign Office said that and lasting peace, it was imperative to have a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and Organization of Islamic Cooperation resolutions, with the pre-1967 borders, and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State. As an active diplomat, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is carrying forward the prime minister’s vision whom he also directed to “go all around” to mobilize international support for the Palestinian people.
At the virtual open-ended emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)’s executive committee, the foreign minister called for immediate protection of them against Israeli aggression, implementation of United Nations resolutions and an accountability of Israel’s crimes against humanity.
Foreign Minister held telephonic conversations with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Sudanese counterpart Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Afghan FM Hanif Atmar, Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu, US Secretary of State J. Blinken and Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
He is currently in Ankara from where he would leave for New York along with Turkish, Sudanese and Palestinian foreign ministers.
On the special instructions of PM Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Qureshi will speak at UN General Assembly debate on “The situation in the Middle East” and the “Question of Palestine” on May 20, 2021.
Pakistan’s efforts for the right of Palestinian people were also recognized by Palestinian Ambassador Ahmed Jawad A A Rabaei who expressed gratitude to the government of Pakistan for its unwavering support and steadfast policy on the issue. Besides mobilizing the international opinion, the government is also actively engaged to further solidify the Pakistani nation’s support for the Palestinian people.
