Opening Remarks for the Weekly Press Briefing by Spokesperson Thursday, 16 November 2023
Assalam-o-Alaikum,
Thanks for joining us for the Weekly Briefing.
Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar led the Pakistan delegation at the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit held on 11 November 2023 in Riyadh. The summit was convened to address the inhumane Israeli aggression and the dire humanitarian situation in occupied Palestine.
The Prime Minister held meetings with Arab and Islamic leaders participating in the conference including the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah; the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman; the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim; and the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas; and discussed the ongoing ruthless war on the people of Palestine.
In his speech at the summit, Prime Minister Kakar addressed the grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws, and the war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by the Israeli occupation forces. He urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for its crimes and emphasized the urgency of a ceasefire, the lifting of the siege of Gaza, and unimpeded humanitarian aid.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination. He also emphasized the critical need for establishing a secure and sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Pakistan welcomes the joint declaration of the Summit that urged the UN Security Council to enforce UN resolutions against Israel; its demand for ceasing export of weapons to the occupying force; and its call for international Criminal Court’s investigation into Israeli crimes.
Pakistan condemns repeated Israeli attacks on the premises and personnel of UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies, including the headquarters of Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza. We join the UN in paying homage to the workers of UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies who lost their lives in Gaza and appreciate their steadfast dedication to the people in need.
Pakistan also condemns Israel’s war on hospitals in Gaza as hospital after hospital is being targeted by the occupation forces in complete disregard of international law. We are appalled by Israeli incursion into Al-Shifa hospital, placing patients, medical staff and civilians at risk. We join the international community to hold Israeli occupation accountable for its attacks against hospitals. Israel must also be held accountable for deliberately targeting mosques, churches and schools sheltering civilians who have been rendered homeless because of Israel’s destruction of their homes.
By decimating civilian infrastructure and symbols of self-governance, including the legislative council, Israel is deliberately making Gaza uninhabitable for its civilian population. Backers of Israel must stop Israel from implementing its plans for ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.
As demanded by the Joint Arab-Islamic summit all countries must also stop exporting weapons and ammunition to the occupation authorities that are used by their military and settlers to kill Palestinian people and destroy their homes, properties and civilian infrastructure.
We once again urge the international community to act swiftly, collectively and meaningfully to stop the ongoing aggression by the Israeli occupation forces and hold Israel accountable for the war crimes being perpetrated in the Occupied Palestine.
Earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Dr Jamshid Khodjaev Abdukhakomovich and Acting Afghan Minister for Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi visited Pakistan for the first Pakistan-Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Trilateral Meeeting on Commerce held on 14 November 2023. The Pakistan side was led by Federal Minister for Commerce and Industries Production Dr Gohar Ijaz. The discussions centered on promotion of trade relations by addressing trade barriers, streamlining customs procedures, and facilitating cross-border and transit trade.
The Ministers explored investment opportunities across sectors, promoting joint ventures, public-private partnerships, and enhanced foreign direct investment. They also deliberated on measures to improve transportation networks and infrastructure development to facilitate the movement of goods. Commerce Minister Gohar Ijaz expressed optimism that the trilateral cooperation would spur economic growth in all three countries.
While in Islamabad, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan met with Prime Minister Anwaarul-Haq Kakar, the Minister for Commerce and Industries Production, Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Federal Minister for Communications and Railways, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, and Minister for National Food Security and Research. The focus of these meetings was to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, connectivity, agriculture, transport, and defence.
During his visit, the Acting Afghan Minister for Industry and Commerce held a courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani. The Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan’s strong commitment to bolstering ties with Afghanistan and highlighted the potential for enhanced trade and connectivity for regional integration. Stressing the inherent connection between security and development, Foreign Minister Jilani called for concrete action by Afghanistan against terrorist groups, particularly the TTP. He also expressed Pakistan’s readiness to collaborate with the Interim Afghan Government to this end. The Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan commitment to addressing issues between Pakistan and Afghanistan through constructive engagement and dialogue.
Yesterday, Pakistan was re-elected to the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the term 2023-2027. Pakistan’s re-election and readiness to contribute in the Executive Board is a testament to its longstanding support for and its constructive role at the United Nations.
As a member of the Executive Board, Pakistan will work for strengthening UNESCO’s mandate and contribute to policymaking, development of norms, advancement of global priorities, and effective oversight of programs and activities of the Organization.
As an ardent advocate of multilateralism, Pakistan will endeavour to building bridges across regions and forging consensus on key issues for tangible outcomes and impact on ground.
The occupation authorities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have been systematically dispossessing Kashmiris of their lands. India is engaged in an unrelenting campaign to seal and seize the properties belonging to human rights defenders and political activists. This week, the Indian authorities again seized several properties in Pulwama district of IIOJK, invoking a counter-terrorism law. The seizure of properties is a cruel means of crushing dissent and persecuting human rights defenders. This practice and the brutal Indian occupation that it facilitates must end. Measures must also be taken to implement UNSC resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.
Pakistan will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.
The tenth meeting of Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to counter international terrorism and other security challenges is being held today in Islamabad. Additional Foreign Secretary (United Nations), Ambassador Syed Haider Shah is leading Pakistan’s multiagency delegation while the Russian delegation is led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Versinin. The two sides will share respective assessment of the threat of terrorism at regional and global levels. The talks will focus on Pakistan-Russia counter-terrorism cooperation.
Editor: Raja Kamran