ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar Friday ruled out any deviation from Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s policy on Palestine and reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering demand for an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Taking the floor of the National Assembly, he said that the two-state solution was the only viable path to a just and lasting peace, through the establishment of a contiguous, independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former speaker Asad Qaisar, who spoke later, however, was not satisfied with the deputy prime minister’s statement and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “for hurting the feelings of the Palestinians”. He maintained that no solution to the issue, which does not include the will of the people of Palestine, would be acceptable.
Dar recalled the joint statement issued by Pakistan alongside seven Arab-Islamic countries, following consultations in New York.
He said that the statement called for unrestricted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza, no displacement of the Palestinians, full Israeli withdrawal, rebuilding of Gaza, and creating a credible path for a just peace on the basis of the two-state solution, under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank.
He said that the decision to engage the United States regarding Palestine was taken after the United Nations, European Union and Arab countries failed to stop the bloodshed in Gaza. “Had Pakistan the capacity to stop the bloodshed in Gaza, it was ready to give every sacrifice,” he said.
The deputy PM also maintained that he had categorically stated Pakistan does not own President Trump’s 20 points, saying that there were changes in Pakistan’s draft. “There is no room for politics on Palestine and nobody should doubt our intentions regarding our stance on this sensitive matter,” he said.
He also pointed out that President Trump’s 20 points were not included in the draft of the joint statement issued by eight Muslim countries. “This is not the same draft as it is and there are changes in it,” he said.
Dar said that the 20-point Gaza peace plan announced by US President Donald Trump was different from the draft proposed by the Muslim countries, including Pakistan.
“The 20-point Gaza peace plan made public by President Trump is truly not ours and changes have been made to our draft,” he said.
He told the House that during his discussion with the Saudi foreign minister before the finalisation of the joint statement by eight Muslim countries, there were two options before them. “Either to categorically reject the 20-point plan or forward our proposals also included in the joint statement,” he said.
“We decided that let them go ahead with their 20-point plan and we the eight countries will draft our own proposals,” he said.
Apprising the House of Pakistan’s active engagement during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, he highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s impactful statement on Palestine, Jammu and Kashmir, climate justice, reform of global financial systems, and the urgency of sustainable development.
Dar also underlined Pakistan’s extensive diplomatic outreach, participation in high-level events and sideline bilateral meetings, constructive role in advancing peace efforts, and principled advocacy for the rights of the Palestinian and Kashmiri people.
He also briefed the House on the prime minister’s bilateral meeting with the US president at the White House, joined by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
He noted the cordial exchanges, appreciation for Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, President Trump’s role in facilitating the Pakistan-India ceasefire understanding in May, and the agreement to expand trade while inviting US investments in agriculture, IT, mines and minerals, and energy.
Responding to mystery surrounding around Shama Junejo, the deputy prime minister said that her name was not included in the entourage for the United Nations. “Her name was not in the letter of credence which was signed by me and addressed to the UN secretary general,” he said. However, he added, she was among a group of five to six speech writers.
Dar, at the same time, noted that Shama Junejo should not have demonstrated in an unusual and irresponsible conduct. “Her conduct was irresponsible, and the backlash is also before you,” he said.
He observed that Shama Junejo did not need to say that she was on board Pakistan Air Force One plane.
Regarding the strategic agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Dar stated that the pact clearly affirms that an attack on one country will be considered an assault on the other.
He described it as a great honour for Pakistan to become part of the defenders of Harmain Sharifain.
The deputy prime minister further disclosed that several nations, both Arab and non-Arab Islamic countries, have expressed interest in signing similar agreements with Pakistan.
He asserted that Pakistan’s defence pact with Saudi Arabia has the potential to evolve into an Eastern North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Eastern Nato) if more nations decide to join it.
“Our defence pact with Saudi Arabia is significant. More countries now want to sign a similar agreement with us,” Ishaq Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, said.
He expressed confidence that Pakistan would one day lead the Islamic world and emphasised that while Pakistan is already a nuclear and missile power, it must now strive to become an economic power as well, an ambition achievable only through collective effort.
Talking about the arrest of former Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan and other Pakistani citizens detained by Israeli authorities, the foreign minister explained that approximately 45 flotillas were carrying humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. He added that Mushtaq Ahmed Khan was detained from one of the 25 flotillas intercepted by Israel.
He assured the House that all possible measures are being taken to ensure the safe recovery and return of all detained Pakistanis, including Mushtaq Ahmed Khan.
He elaborated that Pakistan has engaged an influential European country to intervene in the matter and facilitate the safe repatriation of its citizens who were aboard the flotillas captured by Israeli forces.
Earlier, the House offered Fateha for the departed souls of various people, including personnel of the security forces, who embraced martyrdom in defence of the country.
PTI leader Asad Qaiser, while addressing the National Assembly session, demanded that the prime minister apologise to the nation for hurting public sentiments on the issue of Palestine. He said no decision would be acceptable until the will of the Palestinian people was made part of the process.
Qaiser emphasised that the Haramain Sharifain were central to the faith and religious beliefs of the Pakistani people. “If anyone dares to cast an evil eye towards the Haramain, the entire Pakistani nation will stand united in their defence,” he said.
He criticised the government for failing to take Parliament into confidence on key national decisions.
The PTI leader stated that Ishaq Dar’s clarification regarding Shama Junejo had raised further questions. He said the foreign minister had admitted that Shama Junejo was the prime minister’s speechwriter, therefore responsibility for her statements ultimately rests with the prime minister.
Commenting on the recent “Trump peace deal,” Qaiser said no Muslim leader had endorsed the agreement, yet Pakistan’s prime minister, “in a display of sycophancy,” acknowledged an incomplete agreement through a tweet. “If the deal was so good, why did the Palestinians reject it?” he asked. He noted that over 60,000 innocent Palestinians had been martyred in a brutal campaign of genocide, the likes of which the world had rarely witnessed.
He said the prime minister had played with the emotions of the Pakistani people and must apologise.
The PTI leader categorically stated that Pakistan’s 250 million people would never accept recognition of Israel. “Any peace accord is incomplete without the recognition of an independent Palestinian state, with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital,” he asserted.
He also demanded immediate diplomatic efforts for the release of Pakistanis detained on the Flotilla.
Highlighting PTI founder Imran Khan’s stance, Qaiser said that the former prime minister had welcomed the Pakistan-Saudi defence agreement and maintained that no politics should be done over the Haramain Sharifain.
“Today Palestinians themselves were saying they wished Imran Khan were Pakistan’s prime minister, as no one had championed their cause at the United Nations the way he did. “Imran Khan fearlessly presented the case of the Muslim Ummah at the UN,” Qaiser remarked.
Turning to domestic matters, the PTI leader said Pakistan’s economy was collapsing, with 26 major international companies already having exited the country. He also expressed grave concern over the situation in Azad Kashmir and the former Fata region, terming it condemnable. Asad Qaiser concluded by demanding that fresh elections be held immediately, arguing that the country needed to rid itself of an “incompetent government” that had pushed Pakistan towards economic disaster.
On Friday, Gaza´s civil defence agency -- a rescue force operating under Hamas authority -- reported heavy air bombardment and artillery shelling on Gaza City. It said Israeli strikes killed at least 11 people across the territory, including eight in Gaza City.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing swathes of the territory mean AFP cannot independently verify details or casualty figures provided by the Israeli military or the civil defence.
The Israeli military is waging an air and ground offensive on the territory´s largest urban centre, from which hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee.
The UN on Friday reiterated there was no safe place in Gaza and that Israel-designated zones in the south were “places of death”.
“The notion of a safe zone in the south is farcical,” Unicef spokesman James Elder said from the Gaza Strip.
Amnesty International condemned a “catastrophic wave of mass displacement” as Israel intensified its Gaza City offensive.
The rights group said hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many of whom had already been displaced multiple times, were being forced into “overcrowded enclaves in the south... that lack access to clean water, food, medical care, shelter and life-sustaining infrastructure”.
As the war nears the two-year mark and the death toll continues to rise, protesters around the world have railed at Israel´s interception of a flotilla carrying pro-Palestinian activists and aid for Gaza.
On Friday, the organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said its last remaining boat had been intercepted and Israel´s foreign ministry said it had deported four Italian participants.
Israel has killed at least 66,288 Palestinians since October 7, 2023, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable. Their data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held telephonic conversation with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and discussed with him Middle East situation and ceasefire efforts in Palestine.
The prime minister said that Pakistan’s stance on Palestine issue has been very clear and would continue to raise voice for rights of Palestinians at every international forum. “Pakistan has also raised Palestine issue before the international community effectively”, he said.
The prime minister also reiterated Pakistan’s stance on the establishment of state of Palestine prior to 1967 borders situation and Al-Qudas Al Sharif as its capital.
Shehbaz Sharif apprised the JI chief that eight Muslim countries have been making all out efforts for ceasefire and same would succeed and along with peace, the dream of Palestine state would also materialise.
The prime minister also maintained that neither does Pakistan recognize Israel or has it any diplomatic ties with Israel but Pakistan government is making efforts through friendly countries for safe return of Pakistani citizens who were part of Global Samud Flotilla.
“Soon all Pakistani citizens including ex-senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan will be released from Israel’s custody and back to the country,” the prime minister said. The prime minister also told Hafiz Naeemur Rehman that the federal government would continue to play its effective role with regard to Kashmir issue.
