NEW YORK: Emphasising the critical shortfall in current funding levels for UNRWA, Pakistan has called for prioritising the continuity of UNRWA’s operations to meet the essential needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Pakistan further advocated for a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza in accordance with UN Resolution 2735 and reiterated its readiness to partner in the reconstruction of educational institutions, as announced by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister at the High-Level Conference on Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza held in Amman, Jordan on 11 June 2024.
Rabia Ijaz, the Second Secretary of the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations, delivered these remarks at the Meeting of the Ad-hoc Committee of the General Assembly for the Announcement of Voluntary Contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA Pledging Conference) held in the UN headquarters today.
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The Pakistani delegate highlighted Pakistan’s recognition of UNRWA’s indispensable efforts in providing life-saving assistance, including education, health, relief, social services programs, and emergency aid in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. She honoured the memory of the 197 UNRWA staff members who have tragically lost their lives in the ongoing conflict and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. She strongly condemned Israel’s recent military aggression in Gaza, which over the past eight months, has led to the tragic loss of over 37,000 Palestinian lives and left more than 84,500 injured, including a significant number of women and children. She emphasized the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, with the entire 2.3 million population displaced, underscoring the need for immediate international solidarity and support.
The Pakistani delegate further reaffirmed her country’s unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people during these challenging times. She noted that since last October, Pakistan has dispatched over eight planeloads carrying more than 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza and expressed Pakistan’s ongoing commitment to providing additional relief and support. Ms. Ijaz urged for the urgent implementation of the peace plan for Gaza as outlined in Security Council Resolution 2735.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024