ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the unabated Israel's aggression and reiterated the call for the international community's role for an immediate ceasefire and end to the genocide of Palestinian people.
"The global conscience cannot ignore the plight of millions who face unprecedented hardships due to Israeli occupation. We believe that the continued occupation and disregard for international law is the biggest obstacle to achieving peace in the region" the president said in his message on International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People to be observed today (Friday).
Urging the international community to act urgently and decisively to end the genocide of the Palestinian people, he reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, as well as for the establishment of an independent, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, based on the pre-1967 borders.
"We stand in solidarity with the resilient people of Palestine in their rightful struggle for freedom, dignity, and justice." The president said the day was commemorated at a time when the world was witnessing ethnic cleansing, the destruction of infrastructure and residential areas, and the sufferings and displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and other Occupied Palestinian Territories as a result of Israel’s ongoing genocidal military campaign.
He highlighted that over the past one-year, Israeli actions, in blatant violation of international humanitarian law, had claimed more than 45,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children.
He said that millions of Palestinians were being deliberately denied life-saving humanitarian assistance by Israel by obstructing the vital work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), as well as other aid agencies. Besides, he said that Israeli impunity and continued aggression against other countries in the region also imperilled the peace and stability of the entire region and beyond.
"Today, Pakistan reiterates its call on the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, provision of unimpeded humanitarian supplies to alleviate the sufferings of millions of Palestinians, as well as to hold Israel accountable for its actions that the International Court of Justice has rightly described as “plausible genocide,” he remarked. He said that Pakistan welcomed and supported all measures towards accountability of Israel and its leadership in this regard.
"Let this day serve as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to ensure justice and equality for the Palestinian people. Pakistan stands resolute in its support for Palestine and remains committed to supporting the inalienable rights of the Palestinians to self-determination," he reiterated.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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