APC hosted by President Zardari demands an immediate & unconditional ceasefire & end to brutalities against the Palestinian people
Expresses its unequivocal condemnation in the strongest possible terms of Israel’s genocidal campaign that has resulted in loss of over 42,000 lives
Expresses unwavering support for the inalienable right of the people of Palestine & Kashmir to self-determination
Decides to observe, with special fervor, 29 November 2024 as a Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
ISLAMABAD ( WEB NEWS )
Pakistan’s political leadership, convened at the President’s House on Monday for an All-Parties Conference (APC), has called for a unified platform of Islamic countries to confront Israel’s ongoing aggression against Palestinians. The participants emphasised the need for decisive action by the international Muslim community.
The APC, held on the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, centred around the recent escalation in the Middle East, particularly the situation in Palestine. Prominent political figures, including President Asif Ali Zardari, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, were in attendance.
The conference began with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by Pakistan’s national anthem. Federal Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, presented the agenda, noting that the meeting was being held to address the attacks Israel initiated against Palestinians on October 7, marking a grim anniversary.
Zardari demands end to genocide
President Asif Ali Zardari, delivering the opening speech, condemned Israel’s actions as “genocidal.” He stated that the world community has failed to intervene effectively to stop Israel’s continuous assaults on Palestinians.
“Israel has martyred over 41,000 Palestinians in the latest round of aggression, and now it is targeting Lebanon and Syria as well. The international community is unable to stop these atrocities. This is a serious threat to regional peace,” Zardari said.
Recalling Pakistan’s historic ties with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), he added: “We have cooperated with the PLO for decades. I met Yasser Arafat many times, and Pakistan has always stood with Palestine. We saw PLO offices here in Pakistan, but now Israel is increasing its violent operations.”
Zardari urged Muslim countries to use their collective power to halt Israel’s advances. “The Islamic world has enormous strength. If we do not use it now, then when?” he asked.
If Muslims do not act now, when will they, asks Nawaz
Former prime minister and PML-N leader, Nawaz Sharif, expressed disappointment over the United Nations’ inability to implement its resolutions on Palestine, likening the situation to the Kashmir conflict.
“The world is witnessing the worst atrocities in history. Entire cities in Palestine have been turned into rubble. Children are being snatched from their mothers and killed in front of their parents. And yet, the world remains silent,” Sharif said.
He added: “The UN is helpless in enforcing its own resolutions, just like it has been on Kashmir. What good is an organisation that cannot ensure justice for oppressed people?”
Nawaz also suggested that the collective military strength of Islamic countries be mobilised against Israel. “Islamic nations have a massive military alliance. If they do not act now, when will they? This is the moment to stand together and create a policy to protect Muslims from further bloodshed.”
Sharif emphasised the need for immediate action and urged the Pakistani leadership to quickly draft recommendations and seek collaboration from Muslim nations globally. “This must happen without delay,” he stressed.
Quaid-e-Azam called Israel an illegitimate child: Fazl
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman echoed Nawaz Sharif’s concerns, referring to Israel’s foundation as a colonial project dating back to the 1917 Balfour Declaration by Britain. He also reminded the gathering of Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who had denounced Israel as an “illegitimate child.”
The joint declaration of the All Parties Conference hosted by President Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Palestine has been issued.
The declaration says we, the representatives of the political parties of Pakistan, representing a cross-section of Pakistani society, met today to express the following with one voice:
We state our deep concern at the continuing brutal aggression and genocide being committed by Israel against the Palestinians, despite repeated calls for ceasefire from the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the international community;
We express our profound alarm at the impunity with which Israel is expanding the war theatre and threatening regional peace and security, and its continued violations of international law and the UN Charter, including its recent aggression against Lebanon, attacks in the West Bank, the assassinations of Hamas leader in Tehran, and the Secretary General of Hezbollah in Lebanon which constitutes a threat to regional peace and security;
We express our unwavering support for the inalienable right of the people of Palestine and Kashmir to self-determination; and for the relevant OIC and UN resolutions on Palestine that call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian territories, and for a peaceful and negotiated solution to the conflict;
Recalling the resolution titled “Condemnation of Israeli oppression and Brutality against people of Palestine” adopted by the National Assembly of Pakistan in its session held on 2nd August 2024, as well as other relevant resolutions adopted by the Parliament of Pakistan;
This All Parties Conference:
- Expresses its unequivocal condemnation in the strongest possible terms of Israel’s genocidal campaign that has resulted in the loss of over 42,000 lives, mostly women and children, as well as grievous injury to over 96,000 Palestinians, in addition to the widespread destruction and displacement of nearly the entire population of Gaza;
- Condemns Israeli attacks against schools, hospitals, places of worship, shelters and refugee camps and its killing of aid workers and journalists in unprecedented numbers and in complete violation of international humanitarian law;
- Demands an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and end to brutalities against the Palestinian people; lifting of the siege of Gaza; provision of unimpeded humanitarian, and medical aid; and to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law, war crimes and acts of genocide;
- Urges the international community to take urgent measures to prevent Israel from further undermining regional peace and stability, including the prevention of Israeli aggression against Lebanon and other regional countries;
- Expresses full support for the ongoing political and diplomatic efforts by the OIC, the League of Arab States, the United Nations, and other brotherly countries in addressing the prevailing situation in Occupied Palestine, as well as for the peace and stability of the broader region;
- Calls on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene an Emergency Summit to discuss the situation in Palestine, Israel’s brutal aggression in the region and its implications for regional peace and security and underscores the need for unity of the Islamic Ummah;
- Calls for full implementation of the UN General Assembly resolution ES-10/24 of 18 September 2024, which, inter alia, demands an end to Israeli occupation; the provisional measures by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that call for preventing Israel from committing further acts of genocide against the Palestinian people; as well as ICJ’s Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 that reaffirms the illegality of the Israeli occupation;
- Recalls the Joint Communiqué of the Arab-Islamic summit of 11th of November 2023 that called for all countries to stop exporting weapons and ammunition to the Israeli occupation authorities;
- Expresses its support to the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Refugees (UNRWA) in providing relief to the Palestinian people;
- Affirms Pakistan’s determination to redouble its efforts for all possible political, diplomatic, moral and humanitarian support for the brotherly people of Palestine;
- Appreciates the dispatch of 10 consignments of humanitarian aid from Pakistan for the people of Gaza, and medical relief assistance for the people of Lebanon; and urges continued humanitarian aid to the brotherly people of Palestine, including educational opportunities for Palestinian students and medical treatment of wounded Palestinian children in Pakistan;
- Declares unwavering support for the realization of the right to self-determination and other fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, as well as for the establishment of a viable, secure, contiguous, and sovereign State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as well as for the State of Palestine’s full UN membership;
- Calls on the government of Pakistan to continue extending political, diplomatic and humanitarian support to the brotherly people of Palestine and to support diplomatic efforts for bringing an end to the genocide in Gaza;
- Decides to observe, with special fervor, 29 November 2024 as a Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
- Strongly reaffirms the right of the people of Kashmir to self-determination and call for the settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir Dispute in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people and the relevant resolutions of UNSC.
This resolution is hereby passed by the All Parties Conference held in Islamabad on 07 October, 2024.