ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan reaffirmed to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday Pakistan’s support for Palestine, as Israel renewed deadly airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on the first day of Eid Al-Fitr.
The violence flared on Monday, when Israel dropped bombs on the self-governing Palestinian territory, which have since killed more than 83 Palestinians, including children, and wounded hundreds of others, according to Palestinian health authorities.
In response to the airstrikes, Hamas, which controls Gaza, fired rockets into Israel, killing seven people, Israeli military said.
The flareup is the deadliest outbreak of violence in the region since the seven-week Israeli war on Gaza in 2014, during which 2,300 Palestinians were killed and over 10,000 wounded as Israeli forces bombed residential buildings, hospitals and schools.
In a letter to Abbas, President Alvi conveyed his “deep sadness and concern over the series of violent attacks perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces.”
He reaffirmed “Pakistan’s abiding support for a just settlement of the Palestine issue in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and for the establishment of an independent, viable and contiguous Palestinian state, with pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds-Al-Sharif as its capital.”
“I reassure you of our efforts in mobilizing the international community for the Palestinian cause and to continue raising voice for the Palestinian people,” Alvi wrote.
PM Khan, meanwhile, held a phone call with Abbas, during which he “reassured President Abbas of Pakistan’s efforts in mobilizing the international community against such flagrant violations of human rights and international law,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
“Prime Minister condemned the attacks on innocent worshippers in Al-Aqsa Mosque and lethal air strikes by Israel in Gaza, resulting in the death of so many civilians, including children.”
The latest wave of violence in the Middle East escalated in the final days of the fasting month of Ramadan after Israeli police fired tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets, and stun grenades at Palestinians gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem — the third holiest site in Islam.
The violence was triggered by protests and clashes as Israeli forces tried to expel Palestinians from their houses in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem and hand over their property to Jewish settlers.
Pakistan reaffirms support for Palestine as Israel renews deadly airstrikes on Gaza
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Pakistan reaffirms support for Palestine as Israel renews deadly airstrikes on Gaza
- Current flareup is the deadliest outbreak since the Israeli war on Gaza in 2014, in which 2,300 Palestinians were killed
- Pakistani president, PM say are mobilizing the international community for the Palestinian cause
EU nations back Islamabad measures against illegal immigration, agree on jobs for Pakistanis — ministry
- Boat tragedies and the arrest of Pakistani and foreign nationals at airports with forged documents has spotlighted the issue in recent years
- Pakistan, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland agree on comprehensive roadmap to discourage illegal immigration, improve security
ISLAMABAD: Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland have backed Pakistan’s measures against illegal immigration and agreed on providing jobs to Pakistani nationals officially, the Pakistani interior ministry said on Friday.
The issue of illegal immigration and its consequences gained significant attention in Pakistan in recent years, following the death of hundreds of Pakistani nationals in boat capsizes and the arrest of Pakistani and foreign nationals at airports with forged documents.
The tragedies put the spotlight on perilous journeys many migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan and other countries, often driven by economic hardship, undertake to seek better financial prospects in Europe and Western countries.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi this week attended a conference of foreign ministers from Pakistan, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland that focused on steps to prevent illegal immigration and human trafficking.
“The conference agreed to formulate a comprehensive roadmap to discourage illegal immigration and encourage legal immigration,” the Pakistani interior ministry said. “All countries also agreed to provide jobs for Pakistan at the official level.”
All parties agreed on joint measures to address the issue of illegal immigration, with participating EU countries deciding to appoint focal persons in the Pakistani interior ministry to improve coordination.
Detailed consultations on tackling internal security, militancy and narcotics also took place at the conference, and the participants decided to adopt a coordinated strategy to address common challenges.
“Pakistan is implementing a coordinated strategy against human trafficking and illegal immigration,” Naqvi told the participants. “Illegal immigration from Pakistan to Europe has decreased by 47 percent.”
He said the reduction in illegal immigration resulted from a tough crackdown on human trafficking mafia, adding that European nations and Pakistan could overcome this challenge together.
