ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan will continue to extend every possible political, diplomatic, humanitarian and moral support to its Palestinian brothers and sisters.
“We reiterate our unwavering support for the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous State of Palestine, based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” the president said in his message on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Paying high tribute to the valiant Palestinian people for writing a new chapter in the annals of history, with unparalleled courage, unyielding resilience and steadfast resolve in the face of enormous challenges, President Zardari said Pakistan attaches great importance to its historical and close relations with the brotherly state of Palestine.
Pakistan stands firmly with the Palestinian people. Our support for the Palestinian cause is rooted in the universal values of human dignity, fairness and justice.
The bond between the people of Pakistan and Palestine is one of deep affection and mutual respect, he said adding that even in the gravest of times, the Pakistani nation has stood shoulder to shoulder with its Palestinian brothers and sisters.
The president pointed out that support for the Palestinian people has been part of the very existence of Pakistan. Seven years before Pakistan was even born, the famous Lahore Resolution of 1940 contained a resolution of solidarity for the people of Palestine and their statehood.
May the resilience of the Palestinian people inspire the conscience of the world and may justice and peace prevail, he prayed adding “it is my earnest desire to offer prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque beside my Palestinian brethren one day. Inshallah!”
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said the government and people of Pakistan with unwavering resolve and commitment stand with the brothers and sisters in Palestine.
In a message on International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People observed on November 29, he said for decades, the Palestinian people have endured one of the most devastating tragedies of our time – denied their right to self-determination, their land stolen, and their peace destroyed.
“In the recent years, the world has witnessed the martyrdom of more than 70,000 people in Gaza including children, women, and men, who were caught in the relentless violence.”
He said, “Gaza underwent brutal atrocities with the entire neighborhoods erased and entire families wiped out. Homes, hospitals, schools, and the basic essential civic infrastructure has been reduced to rubble.”
He said, “Yet, despite this unfortunate and inexplicable suffering, the Palestinian people have demonstrated exemplary resilience and remained steadfast while holding fast to hope for their identity, and justice to their cause. The courage of Palestinian people is a testament to the indomitable human spirit.”
He said, “However, a real opportunity has emerged in the form of the High-Level Conference on the Two State Solution, and the Gaza Peace Plan. The ceasefire must be sustained. Israel must cease all violations and ensure unhindered humanitarian access. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) must be fully enabled to resume its vital operations, without impediment or politicization.”
The Prime Minister said, “Today, and for always, Pakistan reaffirms solidarity with the Palestinian people. We stand by Palestinians in their just struggle, in their due resilience, and in their rightful aspiration for freedom, dignity, and peace.”
