Palestinian state bedrock of Pakistan policy: PM | The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed that the establishment of a strong and viable Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital remained the bedrock of Pakistan’s Middle East policy and would continue to guide the country’s stance on regional peace.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) while returning home after attending the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El Sheikh, the prime minister said that the freedom, dignity and prosperity of the Palestinian people remained a primary concern for Pakistan.

He reiterated that Pakistan’s support for their cause was rooted in principles of justice and international law. He said that Pakistan had remained deeply involved in the Middle East peace process and, along with other brotherly nations, had consistently reinforced the call for peace and protection of civilians.

Reflecting on what he described as the “potentially transformational nature” of the Gaza Peace Summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz said that Pakistan’s most important priority was the immediate cessation of the genocidal campaign against Gaza.

During the summit, co-chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and US President Donald Trump, world leaders from 20 countries, including Qatar and Turkey, signed a landmark peace deal for Gaza. The agreement aims to ensure a lasting ceasefire and end more than two years of conflict.

In his social media post, Shehbaz expressed Pakistan’s gratitude to President Trump for delivering on his promise to help stop the bloodshed. “We will continue to express our admiration for President Trump’s unique contribution to peace,” he stated.

While in Egypt, the prime minister attended multiple sessions of the summit and held interactions with various world leaders, who had gathered at the Red Sea resort. At the end of the visit. Egyptian Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Heno saw Shehbaz off at the airport before his departure for Islamabad.

Upon his return, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement noting that the visit underscored Pakistan’s “consistent and principled support for peace and stability in the Middle East” and its “enduring solidarity with the Palestinian people”.