ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday expressed its solidarity with the Palestinians and called for an immediate end to the violence and oppression by Israeli occupation forces.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani reiterated Pakistan’s position on the Palestinian issue and urged the international community to intervene to bring an end to the conflict and work towards a lasting peace in the Middle East.
“Pakistan is deeply concerned by the escalating hostility in the Middle East and the loss of innocent lives. We stand in solidarity with Palestinians and call for an immediate end to the violence and oppression by Israeli occupation forces,” Jilani said in a statement.
Israel-Palestine escalation: Pakistan says ‘closely monitoring’ situation
He added that a viable and sovereign State of Palestine must be established on the basis of pre-1967 borders and UN resolutions.
“The international community needs to intervene to bring an end to the conflict, protect civilians, and work towards a lasting peace in the Middle East,” Jilani further stated.
Jilani’s statement comes apparently to clarify and explain Pakistan’s position on the Palestinian issue following a Foreign Office statement on the situation which called for a “two-state” solution as the key to enduring peace in the Middle East.
“Pakistan has consistently advocated for a two-state solution as the key to enduring peace in the Middle East, with a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestinian question anchored in international law and in line with relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions.
A viable, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine should be established on the basis of pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,“ the Foreign Office had said in a statement on Saturday.
Despite an old position of the country on the Palestinian issue, the Foreign Office’s statement, calling for a two-state solution, was criticized by many in the country to be an alleged shift in Pakistan’s principled stance.
The statements come in the wake of Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, ‘surprise’ operation against Israel with a massive rocket barrage and ground, air and sea offensive on Saturday that Israel’s army said had killed more than 200 Israelis and wounded 1,000, while soldiers and civilians were taken hostage.
The intense Israeli air strikes on Gaza has brought the Palestinian death toll to at least 256, with nearly 1,788 wounded so far, according to media reports.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023