ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will plead the case for establishing an independent Palestinian state, as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is set to reach Jeddah on Monday to attend an Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) meeting.
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According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dar, who holds the portfolio of foreign minister, will depart from Dhaka where he held meetings with the Bangladeshi leadership.
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The statement says the deputy prime minister will advocate for “the establishment of an independent, contiguous, and sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif [Jerusalem] as the capital”.
But to achieve the ultimate goal, there are some preconditions that must be met. That’s why, the Foreign Office says, he will demand “total withdrawal of Israel from all the Occupied Palestinian Territories; reject the outrageous Israeli plan for extending full military control over Gaza and further displacement of Palestinians”.
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At the same time, the deputy prime minister will also emphasise the urgent need of unhindered humanitarian assistance and call for the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
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Dar will be in Saudi Arabia on a two-day official visit to attend an Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).
“The high-level meeting will bring together foreign ministers and senior officials from OIC member states to deliberate upon coordinated responses to the escalating developments in Palestine, resulting from ongoing Israeli military aggression, its proposed plans for full military control over Gaza and the continued egregious violations of Palestinians’ rights,” the statement reads.
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On the other hand, the Foreign Office also noted that Pakistan, as a steadfast advocate for the Palestinian cause, “consistently highlights the issue at the international fora”.
During the forthcoming Extraordinary OIC-CFM session, the deputy prime minister “will reaffirm Pakistan’s unwavering support for Palestine and reiterate its principled stance.
Meanwhile, Dar also is expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from key OIC member states.