FM Qureshi arrives in Pakistan after concluding highly successful visit to New York
FM Qureshi arrives in Pakistan after concluding highly successful visit to New York
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi arrived in Islamabad after completing his Palestine peace diplomatic mission that he undertook on the special instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Foreign Minister was received by hundreds of Pakistanis at Islamabad Airport with an "echo of applause".
The people at the airport chanted slogans and showered flowers in appreciation of the Foreign Minister s diplomatic success.
Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi was received at the airport by a large number of members of parliament, PTI officials and workers and the general public.
On the occasion, people praised diplomatic efforts of PM Imran Khan and foreign minister Shah Mahmood for peace and unity among Muslims and congratulated on the success of the Palestine diplomatic mission.
The foreign minister spoke to media representatives outside the airport and briefed them on the details of the peace diplomatic mission and visit to New York.
He said that ceasefire has been announced between Israel and Hamas, and expressed the hope that this agreement will help to resolve the Palestine issue through talks.
Shah Mahmood termed this achievement as the result of God s grace, Prime Minister Imran Khan s selfless leadership and the heartfelt prayers of Pakistanis and thanked everyone for their support.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s New York visit details
Earlier during his visit, Shah Mahmood Qureshi attended the special meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on Palestine and held meetings with his counterparts from other countries.
He also held talks with senior UN leadership on the situation in Palestine; and interacted with the members of the Pakistani community; representatives of Pakistani and international media; as well as members of the U.S. Congress.
The Foreign Minister reached New York from Turkey on 19th of this month along with the Foreign Ministers of Palestine, Turkey, and Tunisia. After his arrival, he hosted a working dinner of the Foreign Ministers and representatives of the OIC countries to consult and make collective efforts to halt Israeli provocation and aggression against innocent civilians in occupied Palestinian territories, ahead of the UN General Assembly s special meeting.
On 20th May, the Foreign Minister addressed the special meeting of the UN General Assembly and expressed the people of Pakistan s deep anguish and strong outrage against Israel s provocation against Al-Aqsa Mosque, indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force by Israel against Palestinian civilians.
The Foreign Minister urged the international community, in particular the UN Security Council, to halt Israeli aggression and mobilize all possible humanitarian help, including medical supplies, to deal with the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza and other parts of occupied Palestinian territories. He also urged the UN Secretary General to immediately launch a comprehensive humanitarian assistance plan to help the Palestinians.
In his address, the Foreign Minister called on the UN General Assembly to take concrete steps to protect the Palestinians, including through the deployment of an international protection force and hold Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity.
He called for the establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State with pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
On the sidelines, the Foreign Minister held a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in which he expressed deep gratitude of the people and the Government of Pakistan for the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Palestine issue and for convening an Emergency Meeting of the OIC s Executive Committee at Foreign Ministers level on 16th May 2021.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also met with the Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah during which the two Foreign Ministers expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories caused by the Israeli aggression.
In his meeting with the UN Secretary General António Guterres, the Foreign Minister expressed deep concern over the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories caused by Israeli aggression. He also briefed the UN Secretary General on the serious human rights and humanitarian situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir including continued illegal incarceration of the Kashmiri political leaders and extra-judicial killings. He urged the UN Secretary General to use his good offices to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the UN Charter and the relevant Security Council Resolutions. He, moreover, highlighted Pakistan s constructive efforts to facilitate the Afghan peace process.
The Foreign Minister held a meeting with the President of the UN General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir, in which he thanked him for his proactive leadership in convening the UN General Assembly meeting to discuss the situation in Palestine, and conveyed the entire Pakistani nation s strong sense of outrage at Israel s use of indiscriminate and disproportionate force against innocent Palestinians.
Briefing him on the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in IIOJK, the Foreign Minister called for the resolution of the festering dispute of Jammu and Kashmir for lasting peace in South Asia.
During the visit, the Foreign Minister also interacted with senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham; Senator Chris Van Hollen; Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Chairperson of Congressional Pakistan Caucus; and its Co-chair Congressman Thomas Suozzi, member of the House of Representatives from New York. The Foreign Minister also engaged with the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Non-Proliferation, Chairman Ami Bera and Ranking member, Steven Chabot.
During these meetings, the Foreign Minister underscored that Pakistan attached great importance to its longstanding relationship with the United States; highlighted the government s emphasis on economic development and connectivity; and reaffirmed Pakistan s desire for a broad-based relationship with the United States that would advance the two countries shared interests in the bilateral and regional spheres.
He also had intensive interactions with the Pakistani American community, during which he lauded the important role of the diaspora, and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan considered Overseas Pakistanis as great assets who continued to support the country by sending ever rising remittances. He went on to assure that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, special emphasis was being laid on ensuring efficient service delivery to the Overseas Pakistanis.
The Foreign Minister also held extensive media engagements with the local and international media during his stay in New York.
The visit of the Foreign Minister is a reaffirmation of Pakistan s principled and unequivocal support for the just causes of Islamic world including the inalienable right to self-determination of the people of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir.
Palestinian ambassador expresses gratitude to Pakistan for expressing solidarity
On the other hand, ambassador of Palestine in Pakistan Ahmed Rabei Sunday on part of the Palestinian leadership and people expressed gratitude to the government of Pakistan, nation and political leadership for expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.
The ambassador conveyed his heartfelt gratitude for the remarkable efforts of Pakistan to support the Palestinian freedom and condemnation of the Israeli atrocities being carried out against the unarmed Palestinians while urging the international community to take concrete and immediate steps for the resolution of the Palestine issue.
“Your efforts are greatly appreciated for speaking up and pushing for an emergency session of the OIC meeting and the UN General Assembly to hold ceasefire, de-escalation and an end to atrocities,” he added.
“Pakistan played an important role in building, steering the discussion and building a consensus. This historical act will be remembered, not only by the Palestinians, but the entire world, and it will be a history to remember for generations, “a press release of the Palestinian embassy quoted the ambassador as saying.
He said that they would not forget the observance of May 21 as Palestinian solidarity day across Pakistan which was declared by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the decision of the parliament passing unanimous resolution, condemning the Israel’s systematic oppression of the people of Palestine and demanding the UN to probe the human rights violations.
The ambassador further said that they were extremely grateful to all the people of Pakistan for their unwavering support to the Palestinians and the message of unity which had strengthened and encouraged the spirits and gave a boost the morale of the beleaguered Palestinians.
