Pakistan calls situation in Gaza a stain on conscience of humanity

NEW YORK: Pakistan has described the situation in Gaza as a stain

on collective conscience of the humanity, considering the death toll

of over 55,000 lives, including 18,000 children and 28,000 women.

Delivering Pakistan’s statement during the resumed Tenth

Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly on situation in

Palestine, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent

Representative to the UN, said that infrastructure including homes,

hospitals, schools, cultural heritage, and places of worship has been

razed to the ground with the prospect of famine looming large in

Gaza. He said that humanitarian workers and UN personnel are

being attacked with impunity.

“This is not just a humanitarian catastrophe; it is a collapse of

humanity,” he emphasized.

The Pakistan UN ambassador said that the stakes could not be

higher, and urged the international community to not look away.

“The credibility of the international system — of multilateralism

itself — is on trial, and that it is ludicrous that the occupying power,

the worst violator of international law and those who protect and

shield it, can stand in this August Assembly, criticizing and blaming

the rest of the international community for being on the right side of

history,” he stressed.

Ambassador Asim said that moral bankruptcy must have no space in

this house and highlighted the need for rising above politics and

pressure, and acting with moral clarity, legal integrity, and political

will.

He said that in such moments, the responsibility of this General

Assembly — the most representative and democratic organ of the

United Nations — has increased, adding that it must speak where

the Council was prevented from acting.

Referring to the resolution adopted by the General Assembly last

week entitled, “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and

humanitarian obligations,” he said that it was a necessary assertion

of international will, arguing that Pakistan is proud to have

supported and co-sponsored this initiative.

He said that the resolution called for an immediate, unconditional,

and permanent ceasefire; release of hostages; condemned the

weaponization of starvation; demanded unimpeded humanitarian

access; and insisted on accountability and compliance with

international law.

He said that the resolution recalled that this is a situation of illegal

occupation, and reiterated the obligations of Israel, the occupying

power under international law.

He asked the international community to act with urgency to ensure

the implementation the implementation of obligations.

Reiterating Pakistan’s demands, Ambassador Asim said, Pakistan

demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in

Gaza, urging full implementation of Resolution 2735.

He said Pakistan called for the complete lifting of the Gaza blockade

to allow unrestricted humanitarian aid.

It stresses full restoration of UNRWA’s role, access, and funding,

rejecting efforts to delegitimize it.

Pakistan also “emphasizes ending Israel’s illegal occupation and

realizing a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds as

Palestine’s capital”.

Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that Pakistan looked forward

to the convening of the High-level Conference on Palestine and the

two-state solution in coming weeks, co-chaired by France and Saudi

Arabia.

“We must work together to ensure its tangible outcomes in

advancing a credible path toward durable peace, Palestinian

statehood and its full membership of the United Nations. It will be

yet another clear demonstration of where the international

community stands on this issue,” he added.–NNI