Islamabad, January 18, 2021 (PPI-OT): Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs while addressing a virtual meeting of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committees of the Pro-Palestine Countries said that Pakistan and Iran share the same common perspective on Palestine as we oppose any attempt at undermining the just cause of the people of Palestine and both Pakistan and Iran remain committed to the formation of an independent Palestine, with al-Quds as its capital as enshrined in the United Nations resolutions. The virtual meeting was hosted by the Parliament of Iran.
He said that Pakistan’s commitment to Palestine predates the creation of Pakistan because the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah has talked about the rights of Palestine as far back as 1940, when the struggle for Pakistan started under his great leadership. “7 years later Pakistan was created and since then Pakistan has steadfastly remained committed to Palestinian cause”, Senator Mushahid observed.
He said that Pakistan is unique as it is the only non-Arab country which participated in two Arab Israeli wars on the side of our Arab brothers, the 1967 and the 1973 wars in which Pakistani pilots fought with Jordan and Syria respectively and even shot down Israeli planes. In 1974, at the OIC Summit in Lahore, PLO was recognized as the sole legitimate representative of the people of Palestine and even today, Palestinian military personnel are being trained in Pakistani institutions.
In every cause, he observed, there is always a choice and the choice is either to surrender or to struggle. “In the cause of Palestine today, some have chosen to surrender to brute force and recognize Israel as it represses the people of Palestine. This undermines all United Nations resolutions”, Chairman of Senate Foreign Affairs remarked.
For Pakistan, which has a principal stance on Kashmir as well, Palestine is a sacred cause and surrender is not an option. He said that Pakistan is committed to supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people till the achievement of their goals. In these times of the Corona virus and in the context of the human siege of Palestine and Gaza we affirm our solidarity with the people of Palestine and we feel that our solidarity with the heroic people of Palestine must be supported and sustained. Earlier last year, on February 18th 2020 the Senate of Pakistan unanimously passed a resolution expressing solidarity with Palestine and the Pakistan Parliament also opposed any back tracking on Pakistan’s principal policy on Palestine. Pakistan will remain committed to this cause.
He said that the conference is taking place at a historical movement when there is a shift in the global balance of economic and political power in which we see a shift, from the West to the East. He said that recent developments in the United States have shown that a divided and weakened America is on the decline and this is a world of multi-polarity and end of the age of the so-called sole super power. Above all, it is also a the age where the notion of might is right is no longer tenable but, in-fact, the principal of Right is Might is paramount and it is in this context that causes like Kashmir and Palestine top the global agenda of peace and justice through implementation of United Nations Resolutions.
He said that Pakistan is ready to cooperate with other countries and parliaments to promote causes like Kashmir and Palestine. He expressed his pleasure to be participating in this conference on behalf of the people and the Parliament of Pakistan, on an issue that is vital to global peace and security, namely, Palestine. He thanked the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is brotherly neighbour of Pakistan with a long history of common interest, common issues, and above all common and sustained commitment to the cause of Palestine.
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H.No.7, Cat-II, G-8/2,
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