ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week welcomed the decision by France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other countries to recognize Palestine, the foreign office said, urging other countries to follow suit.
Dar, who is also Pakistan’s foreign minister, was attending the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, at the UN on Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced at the event that France was recognizing Palestine as a state. Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra and San Marino are also due to recognize a Palestinian state after the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced recognition on Sunday.
“The DPM/FM welcomed the announcements on recognition of the State of Palestine by France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Portugal, and others,” Pakistan’s foreign office said.
“And urged all countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to take similar steps in line with their commitment to international law.”
The foreign office described the conference hosted by co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France as “a timely and necessary initiative” to generate renewed momentum and to translate international commitments into concrete actions.
“It must be followed by concrete and coordinated international action to finally achieve the long coveted peace and stability in the Middle East,” the foreign office said.
Pakistan condemned Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which have killed over 65,000 people since October 2023, calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire across Gaza and all occupied Palestinian territories.
It also called for a “full and unimpeded humanitarian access” to the besieged and starved Palestinian population.
“Pakistan has consistently supported the establishment of an independent, viable and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in line with relevant UN and OIC resolutions and international legitimacy,” the foreign office said.
Meanwhile, the US did not attend the one-day summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. US President Donald Trump is due to address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
