Dar calls for decisive UNSC action on Gaza, hails Palestine recognitions

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday called on the United Nations Security Council and the wider international community to take decisive steps to address the escalating crisis in Gaza. He also welcomed the growing number of countries formally recognising Palestine as a state.

Speaking during a UNSC session on the Middle East, held on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, Dar said: “Gaza has become a graveyard for humanity and the global conscience. We call upon the Security Council and the broader international community to act decisively, to uphold human dignity, to ensure accountability and deliver justice,” according to his office.

He added, “The time for words has passed, the time for action is now.”

Dar described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as having reached “catastrophic proportions,” warning that famine threatens to engulf survivors, with many already suffering deeply. He said the ongoing death toll and destruction demanded urgent international intervention.

He praised France’s summit on the two-state solution, co-sponsored with Saudi Arabia, and expressed approval of recent recognitions of Palestine by additional UN member states, which, he said, “reflect adherence to justice and the principle of international law.”

Addressing the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Committee of Six on Palestine, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

He urged the OIC to press for a permanent ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access, an end to illegal settlements, accountability for war crimes, reconstruction of Gaza under the Arab-OIC plan, and protection of Palestinian civilians.

Dar’s remarks come as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials attend UNGA 80, seeking to rally international support around issues including Palestine, human rights, climate change, and regional security.