ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday to attend the Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) slated to be held on March 7, 2025, in Jeddah.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states are convening in Saudi Arabia for an emergency meeting to discuss joint actions in response to the deteriorating conditions in Palestine due to ongoing Israeli aggression.
“This high-level meeting will bring together Foreign Ministers and senior officials from OIC member countries to discuss joint actions in response to the deteriorating conditions in Palestine due to ongoing Israeli aggression, violations of Palestinian rights, and calls for their displacement,” said a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
The foreign office said as a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, Pakistan has consistently highlighted this issue on various international platforms.
It said at the upcoming OIC-CFM session, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will reaffirm Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and emphasise its principled position.
The Deputy Prime Minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from important OIC member states on the sidelines of the meeting.
It is worth mentioning that the Extraordinary Arab Summit hosted by Egypt on Tuesday rejected any displacement of Palestinians and upheld the Palestinian people’s right to freedom, dignity, and independence.
The regional leaders endorsed the counterproposal to US President Donald Trump’s plan to expel Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and redevelop the Palestinian territory. Regional leaders and United Nations Secretary-General Antonios Guterres also attended the summit.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Thursday strongly condemned Israel’s decision to halt humanitarian aid from entering Gaza during Ramadan.
“Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms Israel’s decision to block critical humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, during the Holy month of Ramadan,” a statement from the Foreign Office said.
“This latest action is part of Israel’s systematic campaign to deny much needed humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinians in dire need. This constitutes yet another blatant violation of international law by the occupying power and could imperil the ceasefire agreement,” it further said.
The statement also called on the “international community to ensure unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, and to hold Israel accountable for imposition of collective punishment through denial of humanitarian aid to millions of civilians”.
