Islamabad (Web Desk): All Parties Conference to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine is underway at the President House in Islamabad.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are hosting the conference.
Political leaders of various parties, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, Awami National Party (ANP) chief Aimal Wali Khan, Khalid Magsi of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM) leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Pakistan Muslim League-Zia’s (PML-Z) Ijazul Haq, former caretaker Prime ministep Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, and Abdul Aleem Khan of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) are attending the conference, the Radio Pakistan reported.
President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the participants.
In his inaugural address, Zardari said it has been one year since the start of brutal Israel's aggression on Gaza and Palestine, which has resulted in the death of more than forty thousand eight hundred Palestinians.
“Pakistan is deeply concerned over the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East and strongly condemns the Israeli barbarism and aggression against Palestinians as well as the assassination of top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah,” the president said, adding that we stand in the solidarity with the people of Lebanon and Palestine.
“It is regrettable that the international community has failed to stop Israel from committing its ongoing genocide in Palestine especially in Gaza,” he said, adding the prevailing culture of impunity and disregard of international law must be addressed urgently.
President Zardari said it is crucial for international community to take swift action to de-escalate the situation. He called upon the international community to take immediate steps to halt Israel's brutalities, prevent further loss of lives and prevent conflict from spilling over.
He said that Pakistan reiterates its call for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to uphold peace and security in the region, safeguard Lebanon's sovereignty, put an end to ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“We will continue to raise our voice to all regional and international fora to stop Israel's human rights violations and aggression. We believe that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without resolving the Palestine issue in accordance with the UNSC resolutions,” President Zardari asserted.
In his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan supports an independent state with Al Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as per aspirations of the Palestinian people.
He said immediate halting of the ongoing barbarism and bloodshed in Gaza and Palestine is need of the hour.
PM Shehbaz the people of Palestine are facing worst kind of oppression at the hands of Israeli forces.
The Prime Minister also announced to form a working group of experts and its teams will be sent to world capitals to highlight the issue of Palestine.
Stressing the need for sending more relief goods, the premier said that the government of Pakistan is making necessary arrangements for the Palestinian students in the field of medical education.
PML-N president and former premier Nawaz Sharif said that Israel is committing barbarism against innocent people of Palestine, including women and children. He questioned the strange silence adopted by the world community on this issue of humanity.
Nawaz also lauded PM for forcefully raising the issue of Palestine and grave human rights violations by Israel in Gaza during his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
He said that the UN should implement its resolutions on Palestine and Kashmir.
The former premier also urged the Muslim countries to get united and evolve a joint strategy to get the ongoing bloodshed in the Palestine stopped.
JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman called for taking practical steps to help the Palestinians instead of passing resolutions and issuing condemnations. He said Palestinian Muslims are fighting for their rights and we support them.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that a joint platform of leading Muslim countries should be formed to evolve a common strategy to face multiple challenges.
JI chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said Israel is carrying out genocide in Palestine. He added that occupied Israeli forces are committing worst atrocities against the humanity.
“We have to take a very clear stance on the Israeli brutalities against innocent Palestinians” he said, adding that it is also responsibility of the international community to play its role in stopping the Israeli brutalities in Palestine.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman proposed to convene a meeting of the Islamic countries to adopt a common stance in this regard.
“Pakistan should play a proactive role to launch a diplomatic campaign to highlight this issue at the world fora,” the JI chief said.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the entire Pakistani nation is standing behind the Palestinian brothers and sisters in their struggle against Israeli oppression.
He stressed the need for launching an intensive diplomatic campaign to fight the case of Palestinians on diplomatic and legal fronts. He said media should also be effectively engaged to expose the imperialist, colonial, and Zionist agenda of Israel.
The PPP chief proposed to constitute a high-power committee, having representation from all the political forces of the country, to raise voice for the oppressed people of Palestine.
MQM leader Kahlid Maqbool Siddiqui said Islamic countries should open its educational institutions to accommodate Palestinian students, besides sending assistance to the oppressed people of Gaza.
BAP leader Khalid Magsi called for getting united to utilize all resources and energy to protect lives of the Palestinian people.
Moreover, other political leaders who also spoke on the occasion, included PML-Q leader Chaudhry Salik Hussain, IPP leader Abdul Aleem Khan leader Aimal Wali Khan, National Party leader Jan Muhammad Buledi, Raja Nasir Abbas of MWM, Sunni Tehreek leader Sarwat IJaz Qadri, and Religious Scholar Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi.