Pakistan remembers Gaza victims on solidarity day

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, in his message on the occasion of Palestine Solidarity Day, expressed solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine, highlighting the atrocities committed by Israel over the past year and urging the international community to take action.

“Today, the entire nation, along with myself, stands in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” PM Shehbaz said. He pointed out that it has been one year since the new wave of Israeli oppression began on October 7, resulting in the deaths of over 41,000 innocent Palestinians, including children, women, and the elderly, while displacing millions more.

The prime minister condemned Israel’s actions, which continue in disregard of international laws, UN Security Council resolutions, and global institutions. He noted that even now, numerous Palestinians are enduring unprovoked aerial bombardment, suffering from hunger and thirst, as Gaza remains in ruins following relentless attacks. PM Shehbaz called out the silence of global powers, terming it “as condemnable and alarming as the atrocities themselves.”

He emphasised that Israel’s state-sponsored violence is not new and has persisted for the past seven decades, extending its impact beyond Gaza and Palestine to the entire region. He warned that global powers’ support for such acts of aggression has historically resulted in irreversible damage, with no country immune to the fallout.

“My message to the international community is that if Israel’s oppression and genocide are not stopped, it will devastate the peace of the region, leading to repercussions that no country will remain unaffected by,” the prime minister added.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the Palestinian cause, PM Shehbaz stated that, following the principles of the country’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan has refused to recognise Israel as a legitimate state. He reiterated Pakistan’s condemnation of Israeli actions and its determination to continue raising the issue at every international platform.

“The hearts of the government and the people of Pakistan beat with our oppressed Palestinian brothers and sisters,” PM Shehbaz said, pledging continued moral, diplomatic, and political support to Palestine. He also highlighted recent efforts by Pakistan to provide aid to Palestinians, including facilitating education for Palestinian students in Pakistani institutions whose studies were disrupted by the conflict.

“Pakistan will not abandon the people of Palestine during these challenging times,” the prime minister assured. He concluded by calling on the international community to take practical steps to end the massacre of Palestinians, saying, “As we observe Palestine Solidarity Day at the national level, my message to the world is clear: take practical steps to end the massacre of Palestinians.”

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