ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the resolution of the Kashmir and Palestine disputes, Sharif’s office said on Saturday, as the world marked the International Day of Peace.
Since 1982, the International Day of Peace, a United Nations-sanctioned holiday also known as World Peace Day, is observed annually on September 21 and is dedicated to world peace, specifically the absence of war and violence.
Kashmir has been divided between Pakistan and India since their independence from the British rule in 1947, but both countries claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety and have fought multiple wars over the region.
In his statement, Sharif said the Pakistani government and the people joined the global community on the International Day of Peace to reflect on their shared values of tolerance, compassion and co-operation for a peaceful world, free of war and conflict.
“Pakistan strongly believes in fostering peace and stability in the region through dialogue. To effectively achieve this end, it is essential to resolve the longstanding disputes” he said.
“The foundation for any lasting resolution in the region thus, hinges solely on one critical factor: achieving a fair and just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute peacefully through an impartial plebiscite and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”
Sharif said his country recognized the importance of fostering dialogue and understanding among diverse communities in a world often marked by conflict and divisions.
“As we contemplate the significance of peace, we must not overlook the plight of the innocent people of Palestine, who are courageously facing state aggression,” he said. “For lasting peace in the Middle East, peaceful resolution of the dispute according to the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Palestinians is need of the hour.”
Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in October last year, the South Asian country has repeatedly raised the issue at the UN and demanded international powers and multilateral bodies stop Israeli military actions.
Sharif said his country recognized the critical importance of promoting a more peaceful and inclusive world for everyone and was ready to working with the global community toward this end. “It is only by working together now that we can build a peaceful tomorrow for our future generations,” he added.
On World Peace Day, Pakistan PM calls for resolution of Kashmir and Palestine disputes
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On World Peace Day, Pakistan PM calls for resolution of Kashmir and Palestine disputes
- Kashmir has been divided between Pakistan and India since their independence, but both countries claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety
- Islamabad also does not recognize the state of Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on ‘internationally agreed parameters’
Pakistan joins Muslim states in Jeddah as OIC adopts resolutions on Somaliland, Palestine
- Deputy PM Ishaq Dar attends OIC meeting in Jeddah this week to discuss Israel’s recognition of Somaliland
- Muslim countries fear Israel’s move to recognize Somaliland could be part of its plan to resettle Palestinians there
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar joined other representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states in Jeddah this week to discuss the issue of Somaliland, as the global Muslim body adopted resolutions on the breakaway African region and Israel’s military aggression in Palestine.
Dar arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday to attend the 22nd OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) held in Jeddah on Jan. 10 to discuss Israel’s move last month to recognize Somaliland, which has drawn sharp criticism from Muslim nations worldwide.
Muslim countries, including Pakistan, fear the move could be part of Tel Aviv’s plan to forcibly relocate Palestinian Muslims to the African region. Several international news outlets last year reported that Israel had contacted Somaliland over the potential resettlement of Palestinians forcibly removed from Gaza.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has arrived at the OIC Secretariat to participate in the 22nd Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on Israel’s recognition of Somaliland,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday.
In a statement issued by the OIC late Saturday night, Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha described Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland as a “dangerous precedent,” saying it constituted a flagrant violation of international law.
The OIC secretary-general also spoke about the ongoing crisis in Palestine, calling for the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian lands and for the immediate cessation of hostilities.
“The Council of Foreign Ministers concluded its 22nd extraordinary session by adopting two resolutions, the first on developments in the Federal Republic of Somalia and the second on Israel’s continued aggression against the Palestinian people and its plans for annexation and displacement from their land,” the OIC said.
Pakistan also joined the OIC and several other Muslim states on Thursday to condemn Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s Jan. 6 visit to Somaliland, calling it a violation of the African nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Pakistan’s foreign office said that while in Jeddah, Dar will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from OIC member states on the sidelines of the conference to discuss cooperation on other regional and international issues.
