The All Parties Conference (APC) to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine held here at the President House in Islamabad on Monday urged the world to play role to end humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted the conference. In his inaugural speech at the conference, President Asif Ali Zardari said it has been one year since the start of brutal Israel’s aggression on Gaza and Palestine, which has resulted in the death of more than forty thousand eight hundred Palestinians.
He said Pakistan is deeply concerned over the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East and strongly condemns the Israeli barbarism and aggression against Palestinians as well as the assassination of top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah. He said we stand in the solidarity with the people of Lebanon and Palestine.
The President said it is regrettable that the international community has failed to stop Israel from committing its ongoing genocide in Palestine especially in Gaza. He said the prevailing culture of impunity and disregard of international law must be addressed urgently.
Asif Ali Zardari said it is crucial for the international community to take swift action to de-escalate the situation. He called upon the international community to take immediate steps to halt Israel’s brutalities, prevent further loss of lives and prevent conflict from spilling over.
The President said Pakistan reiterates its call for the United Nations Security Council to uphold peace and security in the region, safeguard Lebanon’s sovereignty and put an end to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
He said we will continue to raise our voice to all regional and international fora to stop Israel’s human rights violations and aggression. He said we believe that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without resolving the Palestine issue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif said Israel is committing barbarism against the innocent people of Palestine, including women and children. He questioned the strange silence adopted by the world community on this issue of humanity.
Nawaz Sharif also commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for forcefully raising the issue of Palestine and grave human rights violations by Israel in Gaza during his address to the United Nations General Assembly.
He said the United Nations should implement its resolutions on Palestine and Kashmir. He also urged the Muslim countries to get united and evolve a joint strategy to get the ongoing bloodshed in the Palestine stopped.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said around fifty thousand innocent Palestinians, including children, women, and elderly have been martyred in Israeli attacks.
He called for taking practical steps to help the Palestinians instead of passing resolutions and issuing condemnations. He said Palestinian Muslims are fighting for their rights and we support them.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said a joint platform of leading Muslim countries should be formed to evolve a common strategy to face multiple challenges.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the entire Pakistani nation is standing behind the Palestinian brothers and sisters in their struggle against Israeli oppression.
He stressed the need for launching an intensive diplomatic campaign to fight the case of Palestinians on diplomatic and legal fronts. He said media should also be effectively engaged to expose the imperialist, colonial, and Zionist agenda of Israel.
He proposed to constitute a high-power committee, having representation from all the political forces of the country, to raise voice for the oppressed people of Palestine.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said Israel is carrying out genocide in Palestine. He added that occupied Israeli forces are committing worst atrocities against the humanity. Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said we have to take a very clear stance on the Israeli brutalities against innocent Palestinians.
He said it is also responsibility of the international community to play its role in stopping the Israeli brutalities in Palestine. He proposed to convene a meeting of the Islamic countries to adopt a common stance in this regard. He said Pakistan should play a proactive role to launch a diplomatic campaign to highlight this issue at the world fora.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Kahlid Maqbool Siddiqui said Islamic countries should open their educational institutions to accommodate Palestinian students, besides sending assistance to the oppressed people of Gaza.
Balochistan Awami Party (BNP) leader Khalid Magsi called for getting united to utilize all resources and energy to protect the lives of the Palestinian people.
According to a Radio Pakistan’s report, those, who also spoke on the occasion, included PML-Q leader Chaudhry Salik Hussain, IPP leader Abdul Aleem Khan, ANP leader Aimal Wali Khan, National Party leader Jan Muhammad Buledi, Raja Nasir Abbas of MWM, Sunni Tehreek leader Sarwat IJaz Qadri, and religious scholar Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi.
