Islamabad (TDI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday assured Jamaat-i-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman that his government was making active efforts to secure the safe return of Pakistani nationals detained by Israeli forces after the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan.
During a phone call with the JI leader, the prime minister said Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had been tasked with spearheading the initiative, coordinating with allied countries and international organizations to press for their release.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders also discussed the wider Middle East crisis, with PM Shehbaz underscoring the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine and an end to violence against civilians.
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The statement reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering support for the Palestinian cause,” reiterating Islamabad’s long-standing position in favour of an independent Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem (Al-Quds) as its capital.
Following the call, Hafiz Naeem said in a statement that he had conveyed his party’s strong reservations over the proposed Gaza peace plan.
Read More: Pakistan Condemns Israeli Attack on Sumud Flotilla, Demands Release of Activists
“I expressed, on behalf of Jamaat-i-Islami as well as the entire nation, serious reservations regarding Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, and stressed that Pakistan must remain firm on the demand for an independent Palestinian state. Pakistan should not support any plan that ultimately strengthens Israel,” he wrote.
