New York (TDI): Pakistan has reiterated its firm support for the creation of an independent Palestinian state, telling the United Nations Security Council that a clear, time-bound political pathway remains essential to resolving the decades-old conflict.
Addressing an open debate of the Security Council on the situation in Palestine, Pakistan stressed that lasting peace in the Middle East hinges on the establishment of a viable Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Islamabad described this goal as both an international consensus and a prerequisite for regional stability.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said the Palestinian issue continues to be the core driver of instability in the region. He pointed to years of Israeli occupation, which he said have resulted in dispossession, repression, and the systematic denial of Palestinians’ fundamental rights, particularly their right to self-determination.
Referring to the ongoing crisis in Gaza, the ambassador said the situation over the past two years has reached alarming levels. He highlighted extensive civilian casualties, mass displacement, the near collapse of infrastructure, and worsening humanitarian conditions, warning that the needs of the population are increasing rapidly.
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Ambassador Ahmad welcomed renewed international diplomatic momentum, including the High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and President Donald Trump’s Peace Plan, which was endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2803. He said the plan’s second phase should focus on strengthening the ceasefire, achieving a permanent end to hostilities, supporting transitional arrangements, and enabling large-scale humanitarian assistance, reconstruction, and recovery.
Pakistan, he noted, stands with Arab and Islamic countries within the Group of Eight in supporting the establishment of a Board of Peace under Resolution 2803. The mechanism is intended to help sustain a permanent ceasefire, facilitate rebuilding efforts in Gaza, and move the process toward a just and durable peace.
Islamabad has also conveyed its readiness to contribute to the proposed Gaza Stabilisation Force, a US-led multinational initiative aimed at maintaining stability in the territory following a ceasefire.
Despite these diplomatic efforts, Pakistan expressed serious concern over continued tensions on the ground. Ambassador Ahmad warned that ceasefire violations persist, civilians remain vulnerable, and humanitarian organisations face mounting restrictions that hinder their ability to deliver aid and protection.
He strongly condemned Israeli actions targeting UN facilities, including the recent demolition of a UN compound in Sheikh Jarrah, saying such incidents undermine stabilisation efforts and threaten fragile progress. He underscored that UNRWA’s work remains indispensable and must be fully protected.
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Outlining Pakistan’s key priorities, the ambassador called for strict adherence to the ceasefire, immediate commencement of recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, and firm measures to prevent annexation, forced displacement, or any changes to the territorial integrity of Palestinian lands.
He also urged an end to illegal settlement expansion, settler violence, and attempts to alter the demographic, legal, or historical character of the occupied territories, including sacred sites, stressing that accountability is critical to achieving lasting peace.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s long-standing position, Ambassador Ahmad said the country remains fully committed to Palestinian self-determination and a two-state solution in accordance with UN resolutions and international law.
Concluding his remarks, he said Pakistan’s solidarity with the Palestinian people remains “steadfast and unwavering,” and urged the Security Council to ensure that diplomatic initiatives translate into tangible and meaningful improvements for Palestinians on the ground.
