Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemning the attack by Israeli forces on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, said that the humanitarian situation caused by Israel’s siege of Gaza was a blot on human conscience.Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, at her weekly press briefing, unequivocally condemned the brutal and indiscriminate Israeli airstrikes on Beit Lahia, which resulted in the tragic loss of over 80 Palestinian lives, including women and children.She said that targeting the densely populated residential areas without warning and collective punishment of civilians by depriving them of food, water and essential medicines constitute war crimes.The spokesperson told the media that the UN peacekeepers had become the latest victim of Israeli aggression in Lebanon “Pakistan strongly condemns the deliberate and unlawful attacks by Israeli forces on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers. The Peacekeepers must be able to fulfill their mission without fear of attack or obstruction.”She called upon the international community to press Israel to cease all aggressive actions against UNIFIL immediately and forthwith cease its attacks against the people of Palestine and Lebanon. Israel should also be held accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity and the people of Palestine should be protected from the Israeli aggression, she added.She highlighted that October 27, 2024, would be marked as ‘Black Day’ in Pakistan and around the world, on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the Indian troops’ landing in Srinagar.“The Kashmiri people have never accepted Indian occupation of their land and persistent denial of their right to self-determination. Their aspirations for their rights and liberty remain alive despite decades of occupation and suppression,” the spokesperson remarked and reiterated Pakistan’s continuous political, diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiri people for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.She apprised the media of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar’s current visit to Samoa to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) where he participated in the Commonwealth Intergenerational Youth Dialogue; delivered a keynote address at the Commonwealth Business Forum; and also attended the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting ahead of the Heads of Government Meeting scheduled for Friday.In the Ministerial Meeting, he emphasized Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the core principles of the Commonwealth, particularly in fostering resilient societies and advancing inclusive and equitable development. He highlighted the alignment of the Commonwealth’s progressive priorities—gender equality and intergenerational dialogue—with Pakistan’s dedication to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).In Samoa, the deputy prime minister has held meetings with Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata’afa; Foreign Minister of Singapore Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan; Foreign Minister of Rwanda Olivier J. P. Nduhungirehe; Deputy Foreign Minister of South Africa, Anna Thandi Moraka; Foreign Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis; the Trade Minister of Togo; and Secretary General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland.
