Foreign Minister Dr Riyad Al Maliki appreciated Pakistan’s “principled, steadfast and unflinching support to Palestine,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The statement said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday talked to his Palestinian counterpart Dr Riyad Al Maliki by telephone and discussed the situation in Palestine.
Foreign Minister Qureshi strongly condemned Israeli forces’ attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and continued air strikes on Gaza that killed innocent civilians, including children. He reiterated Pakistan’s unequivocal support for the rights of Palestinian people and their just struggle.
Qureshi briefed Foreign Minister Maliki on Pakistan’s efforts to sensitize the international community on the serious situation and the violations of human rights and international law.
Recalling the recent telephonic call between the Pakistani prime minister and the Palestinian president, Foreign Minister Qureshi reassured Dr Maliki of Pakistan’s steadfast support to Palestinian people during these testing times.
Dr Maliki updated the Foreign Minister on the dire situation on ground, as well as the efforts being made to prevent its further worsening. He expressed deep appreciation for Pakistan’s support to Palestine, as well as Prime Minister Imran Khan’s clear and unambiguous stance on the recent crisis. He thanked Pakistan for the consistent diplomatic support for Palestine at regional and international fora.
The two foreign ministers agreed to engage and coordinate closely on the evolving situation in Palestine.
Foreign Minister Qureshi spoke to the Palestinian Foreign Minister as part of his wider outreach to the foreign ministers of key Islamic countries with a view to helping address the serious situation in Palestine.
SAUDI ARABIAN FM: Later, Foreign Minister Qureshi contacted his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud to discuss “grave situation” in Palestine.
According to a Foreign Ministry statement “FM Qureshi expressed Pakistan’s serious concerns on the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque and grave human rights violations.
It added that FM Qureshi recalled the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint statement issued during PM Imran Khan’s recent visit to the Riyadh, recalling that the statement included the shared perspective of the two countries on the Palestinian issue.
“The foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to self-determination and establishment of their independent state with pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions.”
The Saudi foreign minister, in turn, also expressed his reservations on the “serious developments in Palestine” and briefed FM Qureshi on the initiatives being taken to address the situation.
SOLIDARITY DAY OBSERVED: Meanwhile, Palestine Solidarity Day was observed across Pakistan on Friday to give a message to the world for standing with the people of Palestine.
The day was observed on the call of the Pakistan Ulema Council.
Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Religious Harmony Tahir Ashrafi urged the OIC to take notice of the matter.
He said that Pakistan will continue raising the voice for suppressed Kashmiris and Palestinians at every international forum.
Pakistan has strongly condemned the airstrikes by Israel in Gaza that resulted in deaths and injuries to hundreds of innocent Palestinians, including children.
