Pakistan has reaffirmed its strong support for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations Security Council. The country called for a credible and time-bound political process to achieve this goal.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said that establishing an independent Palestinian state is essential for regional stability. He highlighted that such a state should be based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
He described the Palestinian issue as central to instability in the Middle East. Decades of Israeli occupation, he said, have caused dispossession, repression, and denial of Palestinians’ basic rights. He stressed that Palestinians have the right to self-determination.
Ambassador Ahmad also addressed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He said Israeli actions over the past two years have caused mass civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of infrastructure. Humanitarian needs are increasing rapidly.
He welcomed renewed diplomatic efforts. This includes the High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question and President Donald Trump’s Peace Plan, which is supported by Security Council resolution 2803.
Ambassador Ahmad outlined the next steps for the peace plan. These include consolidating the ceasefire, ensuring a permanent halt to hostilities, facilitating recovery and reconstruction, and providing humanitarian aid at scale. The plan should also prepare the way for a credible political process toward Palestinian self-determination.
Pakistan supports the Board of Peace under resolution 2803. This mechanism aims to stabilize Gaza, aid reconstruction, and advance a just and lasting peace. Pakistan is also willing to participate in the proposed Gaza Stabilisation Force, a US-led initiative to maintain security after the ceasefire.
The ambassador expressed concern over ongoing tensions. He warned that ceasefire violations continue. Civilian lives remain at risk. Humanitarian organizations face pressure that hinders aid delivery.
He strongly condemned Israeli actions against UN facilities, including the demolition of a UN compound in Sheikh Jarrah. He said such acts undermine stabilization efforts and threaten progress. He emphasized that UNRWA operations are vital and must be protected.
Ambassador Ahmad outlined Pakistan’s priorities. He called for full respect for the ceasefire, prompt recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, and prevention of annexation or forced displacement. He stressed that illegal settlements, settler violence, and attempts to alter the demographic or historical character of Palestinian territories must stop. Accountability, he said, is crucial for lasting peace.
