ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has called for the full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire and the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, warning that delays in carrying out the agreement could jeopardize prospects for lasting peace and an independent Palestinian state.
Speaking at the United Nations Security Council's open debate on the situation in the Middle East on Monday, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territories remained critical despite recent progress under the ceasefire.
Backs Gaza peace plan
The ambassador said, "The ceasefire and the peace initiative had created an important opportunity to ease humanitarian suffering and advance a credible path toward Palestinian self-determination."
However, he stressed that all commitments under the plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803 must be fully implemented, warning that failure to do so could irreparably damage hopes for a just and lasting peace.
Concern over Israeli settlements and West Bank developments
Pakistan expressed serious concern over continued Israeli settlement expansion, the establishment of new settlement outposts, and increasing settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar also highlighted concerns over the proposed "Crimson Thread" project, a planned network of walls and military roads in the Jordan Valley, which he said could isolate Palestinian communities, fragment the occupied territory, and undermine the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state.
He also condemned Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, including continued settler incursions, describing them as violations of international law and the historical status quo of the holy site.
Humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Pakistani envoy further said that Gaza's humanitarian situation remained extremely fragile despite the ceasefire.
He went on to say that nearly 59 % of Gaza's population continues to face crisis-level food insecurity, while more than 1,100 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the ceasefire took effect.
Asim Iftikhar further said that nearly two million people remain confined to only 30 % of Gaza's territory, while reports of a massive earthen barrier being built across Gaza could further entrench Israeli control over large parts of the territory.
"These developments raised concerns about the full implementation of the peace agreement," he added.
Pakistan outlines four demands
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar urged the international community to act collectively by fully implementing the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and Security Council Resolution 2803 and halting all Israeli settlement activities and rejecting annexation, forced displacement, and demographic changes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
He also asked for providing international protection for Palestinians and ensuring accountability for violations against civilians.
Pakistan's ambassador asked for the release of the withheld Palestinian revenues to enable the Palestinian Authority to continue delivering essential public services.
Support for two-state solution
Pakistan's representative reiterated that the only viable path to lasting peace is the establishment of an independent, sovereign, contiguous, and viable State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (East Jerusalem) as its capital.
The ambassador reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and support for their right to self-determination.
Regional tensions and diplomacy
Beyond the Palestinian issue, he voiced concern over rising tensions across the Middle East and urged all parties to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue.
The ambassador reaffirmed Pakistan's support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region and called on all sides to uphold commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
He also supported full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in Lebanon and welcomed diplomatic efforts to maintain the cessation of hostilities.
The ambassador reaffirmed support for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while calling for respect for the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and relevant UN resolutions.
Asim Iftikhar backed a Yemeni-led political process to end the conflict in Yemen, condemned attacks on Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping, and reiterated Pakistan's support for the Kingdom's security and sovereignty.
Pakistan's message to the UN
Concluding his address, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said lasting peace in the Middle East would remain unattainable as long as the occupation continued and the Palestinian people's legitimate aspirations for self-determination remained unfulfilled.
He said, "Pakistan would continue supporting all genuine international efforts aimed at achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on UN Security Council resolutions and international law."
