Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas concluded his three days visit of Pakistan on Wednesday after holding talks with Pakistani leadership on issues of mutual interests including the illegal Israeli settlements on the occupied Palestinian territories. President Mamnoon Hussain bid farewell to his Palestinian counterpart at Noor Khan Airbase who left for Dhaka on his first ever three-day visit to Bangladesh.
During his three-day visit to Pakistan, President Abbas called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and also addressed a joint press stakeout in which the two sides called upon the international community to implement the United Nations Security Council's Resolution 2334 that demands Israel to end its settlements in the West Bank.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said, "Pakistan will continue its support for the Palestinian cause at all forums. We also look forward to the international community's sincere efforts for sustainable peace in the Middle East."
The Prime Minister and Palestinian President also jointly inaugurated the newly constructed Palestinian Embassy Complex at Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad, the land for which was gifted by the government of Pakistan. President Abbas also met President Mamnoon Hussain at the Presidency where a state banquet was also hosted in the honour of visiting dignitary.
Talking about the purpose of Palestinian President's visit to the country, senior analyst Hassan Askari Rizvi toldBusiness Recorder that the visit took place amid US President Donald Trump's plans to shift the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as well as the new US administration's support to Israel.
"I see this visit in this context as President Trump has already given indication about his full support to Israeli illegal settlements on the occupied Palestinian territories despite passage of the resolution by UN Security Council," he added. Though Pakistan has not much standing at the international level, he said, Islamabad has an influence in the Muslim world and can play an important role in sensitising the Muslim countries on the Palestinian cause.