Online Desk: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned Israel`s "reckless and provocative" attack on Doha, calling it a flagrant violation of Qatar`s sovereignty and international law, and urged immediate global action to hold Israel accountable for war crimes. Speaking at the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit hosted by Qatar, the prime minister described the September 9 strike as a "treacherous act" against a brotherly Islamic state and a deliberate attempt to undermine peace efforts.
He called for an urgent and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the creation of an Arab-Islamic task force to counter Israeli expansionist designs. "This was a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar," he said. Israel`s assault was "yet another manifestation of its declared, hegemonic ambitions," he added. Even in wartime, he noted, mediators are considered inviolable: "They are the messengers of fragile hope – hope of keeping dialogue alive."
The prime minister said Israel`s genocidal campaign had reduced Gaza to "rubble and ruin" and left indelible scars on humanity. He invoked the plight of Palestinian children, including a 10-year-old boy named Ameer, who, he said, was gunned down by Israeli soldiers while seeking food, along with "64,000 of his fellow countrymen."
Shehbaz stressed that Israel must be held accountable for war crimes and reiterated Pakistan`s support for suspending Israel`s UN membership. He urged the UN Security Council, under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, to demand an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, along with guaranteed humanitarian access and protection for aid workers, journalists, and UN staff.
Reaffirming Pakistan`s longstanding stance, he said the only just and lasting solution lay in the creation of an independent State of Palestine on pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital. "Let history record this moment, when we, the leaders of the Arab-Islamic world, have chosen unity, dignity, and courage over silence and inaction," he concluded.
