ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s remarks about a plan to forge an “unholy alliance” with India and other countries to counter Muslim nations.
The resolution, tabled on the eve of a two-day visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel, condemned any attempts by Israel to undermine the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of brotherly Islamic countries. It also rejected, in this regard, the announcement made by Israel recognising the independence of so-called “Somaliland region” of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Moved in the House by PPP lawmaker Palwasha Khan, the resolution deplored the continued provocative steps and statements by the leadership of Israel that threaten regional and international peace and stability. This includes the latest statement expressing its intention to forge so-called “alliances” against Muslim nations, specifically its unholy alliance with India.
The House also condemned in the strongest possible terms the Israeli occupying power’s continued violations of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as well as its blatant disregard of international law, the UN Charter, relevant UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Taking a strong exception to the “vile proclivity” of the leadership of Israeli occupying power towards diminishing the unity and integrity of the Muslim Ummah on political and ideological grounds, the House rejected any attempt by Israel to change the legal or historical status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the status of holy sites. It also rejected efforts to enforce any new legal and administrative reality in the occupied territory, especially the Occupied West Bank, expand its illegal settlement activities and encourage settler violence or forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.
The Senate urged the international community to end the Israeli impunity and to hold it accountable for its crimes against humanity, as well as its provocative actions that pose a threat to all regional countries. It demanded full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories, increased, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered Palestinians in Gaza — including through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) — as well as an early start to the recovery and reconstruction process in Gaza.
The House reaffirmed the historic and unwavering support of the people of Pakistan for the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and for the establishment of an independent, viable and contiguous State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel from February 25 to 26, India’s foreign ministry said. The visit will be Modi’s second to Israel. Modi’s first visit took place in 2017, which was also the first ever by an Indian prime minister to Israel.
According to ‘Times of Israel’, during the visit Modi is also slated to address the Knesset plenum today, becoming the first Indian prime minister to do so, following an address by Netanyahu. The Indian prime minister is also slated to meet with President Isaac Herzog on Thursday.
Netanyahu said earlier this week that Modi’s visit will result in closer “economic cooperation, diplomatic cooperation and security cooperation” with New Delhi, highlighting cooperation in the fields of “high-tech, in AI and in quantum.”
The Israeli premier added that Israel intends to create “an axis of countries” in or around the region, listing India, Greece, Cyprus and unnamed Arab, African and Asian countries, “that see reality, the challenges, and the goals in the same way, in contrast to the radical axis,” which he named as “the radical Shiite axis” and “also the emerging axis — the radical Sunni axis.”
According to the Jerusalem Post, Modi’s visit marks another step in deepening strategic and security ties between the countries.
Over the past decade, India has become a major customer of Israel’s defence industry, with expectations at the political level that the scale of cooperation will expand further.
India has been Israel’s largest defence customer for years, accounting for 34 percent of total sales between 2020 and 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri). According to data, Israel’s total arms sales to India during this period amounted to about $20.5 billion.
The ties between the countries have gone beyond direct procurement deals, as each of the major Israeli defence companies currently has Indian subsidiaries and collaborations with local industry on the subcontinent. India and Israel have launched multi-billion-dollar joint ventures to produce drones, missile systems, radar, cybersecurity technology, naval vessels and firearms.
According to a media report, a series of agreements are expected, with defence emerging as the centerpiece. A classified framework is to be signed, opening previously restricted areas of cooperation to India, including advanced air defence systems. Notably, India could gain access to Israel’s cutting-edge laser-based air defence platform, known as Iron Beam.
Meanwhile, Israel’s opposition is planning to boycott Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in the Knesset, in a standoff with the Knesset speaker over his decision not to invite Supreme Court President Isaac Amit to attend the special session, as is customary.
Meanwhile, the Indian Congress said that the government has “abandoned” the Palestinians and said Modi was going to Israel despite that country’s attacks on civilians in Gaza continuing “mercilessly”, Press Trust of India reported.
Congress Secretary General Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government makes cynical and hypocritical statements on its commitment to the cause of Palestinians, but in reality, it has abandoned them.
Israel’s dispossession and displacement of thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has intensified and drawn worldwide condemnation, Ramesh said on ‘X’. Israel’s attacks on civilians in Gaza continue mercilessly, he said.
Ramesh also pointed out that Israel and the US are planning air assaults on Iran.
“Yet the prime minister is going to Israel tomorrow (where there is a Modani connection as well) to embrace his good friend Mr Netanyahu, who faces very serious corruption charges,” the Congress leader said.
“The opposition in Israel is threatening to boycott Mr. Modi’s address to the Israeli Parliament to protest how Mr Netanyahu is destroying the independence of judiciary in Israel,” he said.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar informed the Senate that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman was examined by a medical board of specialist doctors at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in accordance with the law and jail manual.
While responding to points raised by the opposition during the sitting, he noted that incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan was taken to the PIMS with his consent, where a detailed medical examination was conducted by a board comprising both government and private medical experts.
He explained that the medical evaluation included ophthalmological, cardiac and general health assessments, adding that all procedures were carried out strictly within the existing legal framework governing prisoners’ medical treatment.
The minister emphasized that the law does not allow special arrangements outside prescribed rules and that medical care for prisoners must follow established regulations and jail manual. He also pointed out that the hospital visits were scheduled at night due to security and operational considerations to ensure smooth medical procedures without disrupting hospital services.
He reiterated that matters relating to release, bail or foreign travel of a convicted prisoner fall under the jurisdiction of courts, while the government remains committed to implementing legal provisions without discrimination in line with Article 25 of the Constitution.
The minister said that according to the PIMS, Imran Khan’s health is satisfactory and his results are improving. “There is no provision in the law for a prisoner to be examined by a doctor of his choice,” he said in response to the repeated demands by Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Imran Khan’s family and his party leaders.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader Senator Sherry Rehman said the unnecessary debate on the issue of Sindh’s partition should end now because it has become a “completely non-issue.” She emphasized that there is no room for backdoor debates anymore. “We should now focus on real public issues,” she contended.
Speaking on a point of public importance, Leader of the Opposition Allama Raja Nasir Abbas raised the issue of the session not being live streamed on the Senate’s YouTube channel and asked why the Senate session was not being broadcast. He wanted the minister to inform the House why this issue had arisen.
He noted that the live-streaming of Senate sessions had been shut down for some time and contended that stopping the live-streaming of Upper House was unfortunate.
Responding to him, the law minister explained that live streaming of the Senate session is not the government’s job; this matter rests with the Senate office, as it is the privilege of the House.
“Only the Senate chairman and his office can tell about the streaming issue,” he maintained.
Responding to a point raised by JUIF Senator Kamran Murtaza about compensation for victims of the district and sessions court blast, the minister said the government ensured an immediate response, with senior officials, including the interior minister, promptly rushing to the site and supervising relief efforts. He termed the incident unfortunate and informed the House that the medical treatment of injured was closely monitored, while assistance was provided in accordance with government policies.
The minister said the government extended support to the bereaved family through relevant institutions and added that injured individuals were also provided necessary assistance. He also informed the Senate that on the directives of the prime minister, a comprehensive compensation package had been approved in this context.
The House will now reconvene on Friday morning.
