ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will participate in the extraordinary Arab–Islamic summit meeting between the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) scheduled to be held today, Monday, in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss Israel’s ongoing wars in Gaza, Lebanon and escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Sharif arrived in Riyadh on Sunday night to join various Muslim leaders in the Saudi capital who will attend the summit. Israel has waged war in Gaza since October last year, killing over 43,000 people and rendering the strip of land almost uninhabitable. Last month, it also invaded Lebanon, killing 3,000 people there since.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will attend the extraordinary summit meeting of the Arab-Islamic countries today,” a statement from Sharif’s office said.
It added that the prime minister is expected to meet Saudi Arabia’s investment minister and the secretary-general of the Muslim World League on the sidelines of the summit.
In this handout photo, taken and released by Pakistan’s Press Information Department on November 11, 2024, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz at the Royal terminal of Riyadh International Airport in Riyad on November 10, 2024, ahead of the Arab–Islamic summit in Saudi capital to discuss Israel's ongoing wars in Gaza, Lebanon and the Middle East situation. (Photo courtesy: PMO)
The summit today will be a follow-up to the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit held in November 2023 in Riyadh, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry. Sharif will reiterate Pakistan’s full support to the Palestinian cause in his address at the gathering.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, attended a meeting of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Riyadh, wherein he called on the world to hold Israel accountable for its “war crimes” in Gaza.
“[Dar] expressed alarm at Israeli adventurism in the Middle East that is endangering peace and security in the region,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement. “[He] called on the international community to bring an end to Gaza genocide.”
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”
Islamabad has also dispatched more than 1,300 tons of relief goods for Gaza and Lebanon, besides establishing the ‘Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon’ that aims to collect public donations for the war-affected people.
After attending the summit on Monday, the Pakistani prime minister will visit Baku, Azerbaijan on Tuesday to participate in a two-day World Leaders Climate Action Summit being held as part of the 29th UN Climate Change Conference.
“The prime minister will make a robust call for climate solidarity and climate justice, based on the established principles of equity,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
