NEWYORK: Pakistan has reaffirmed at the United Nations Security Council that the realisation of Palestinian statehood through a credible, time-bound political process remains the central objective of international efforts.
Speaking during an open debate on the Palestinian question on Wednesday, Pakistan stressed that the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine—based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital—is the ultimate goal endorsed by the international community and essential for lasting regional stability.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said the unresolved Palestinian question continues to lie at the heart of instability in the Middle East. He highlighted decades of Israeli occupation marked by dispossession, repression, and the denial of Palestinians’ inalienable rights, including their right to self-determination.
Referring to ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, the ambassador noted that the crisis has escalated over the past two years to an unprecedented level, resulting in extensive civilian casualties, mass displacement, widespread destruction of infrastructure, and severe humanitarian deprivation. He warned that humanitarian needs in Gaza are increasing rapidly.
Ambassador Ahmad welcomed renewed diplomatic engagement, including the High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and President Donald Trump’s Peace Plan, endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2803. He said the second phase of the plan should help consolidate the ceasefire, ensure a permanent cessation of hostilities, facilitate transitional arrangements, and support recovery and reconstruction, while enabling large-scale humanitarian assistance and laying the groundwork for a credible political process toward Palestinian self-determination.
Pakistan, along with other Arab and Islamic countries in the Group of Eight, supports the Board of Peace established under Resolution 2803 as a transitional mechanism to solidify a permanent ceasefire, assist Gaza’s reconstruction, and advance a just and lasting peace. Islamabad has also expressed its willingness to participate in the proposed Gaza Stabilisation Force, a US-led multinational initiative aimed at stabilising the territory following the ceasefire.At the same time, Pakistan voiced deep concern over continuing tensions.
Ambassador Ahmad warned that ceasefire violations persist, civilian lives remain under threat, and restrictions on humanitarian organisations are obstructing aid delivery and protection efforts. He strongly condemned Israeli actions against UN facilities, including the recent demolition of a UN compound in Sheikh Jarrah, stressing that such actions undermine stabilisation efforts and jeopardise limited progress. He underscored that UNRWA’s operations remain indispensable and must be protected.
Outlining Pakistan’s key priorities, the ambassador called for full respect for the ceasefire, immediate recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, and the prevention of annexation, forced displacement, or any changes to the territorial unity of Palestinian territories. He urged an immediate halt to illegal settlement activity, settler violence, and attempts to alter the demographic, legal, or historical character of the occupied territories, including holy sites, emphasising that accountability is essential for sustainable peace.
Pakistan has long supported Palestinian self-determination and statehood, consistently advocating a two-state solution in accordance with UN resolutions and international law. Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Ahmad reaffirmed that Pakistan’s solidarity with the Palestinian people “remains firm and unwavering” and called on the Security Council to ensure that diplomatic efforts produce concrete and measurable outcomes for the Palestinian people.
