Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani of Pakistan reaffirmed the nation’s long-standing position on the Israel-Palestine conflict, emphasizing that Pakistan’s policy “is and will remain” consistent with its historical stance.
He stated, “There is no change in our policy regarding Israel … our policy is linked to the rights of the Palestinian people.”
Pakistan currently does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel and adheres to a “two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions as well as international law, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as the capital of Palestine.”
This statement from the foreign minister coincides with Israel’s efforts to improve relations with Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority nations. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen recently indicated that he had discussions with leaders from several Muslim countries during the United Nations General Assembly, hinting at the possibility of additional Muslim nations normalizing relations with Israel, following the example of the Abraham Accords signed by countries like the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
During a press conference in Islamabad, Foreign Minister Jilani was questioned about Pakistan’s stance on Israel. He responded, “Whenever we decide on the matter, we will keep our national interests a priority.”
He further noted that both he and the prime minister had reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the Palestinian cause in their speeches at the UNGA, emphasizing the importance of granting Palestinians independent state status akin to that of pre-1967 borders.
Jilani also drew parallels between the Palestinian issue and the Kashmir conflict, stating, “Palestinians’ issue of the right to self-determination is similar to that of Kashmiris. This is basically a part of our national interest.”
In response to questions regarding Pakistan’s policy toward Afghanistan amid increasing cross-border terrorism, Foreign Minister Jilani expressed concerns and clarified that Pakistan was engaged in dialogue with Afghanistan on the matter.
He emphasized that preventing terrorist activities from Afghan soil was the responsibility of the Afghan government, and recent discussions between the two countries had reaffirmed the commitment to preventing such incidents.
Regarding Pakistan’s new policy on undocumented Afghan nationals, Jilani clarified that it applied to all individuals residing illegally in Pakistan, regardless of their nationality. He reassured that Afghan refugees with legal status in Pakistan would not be asked to leave, but those residing illegally would be required to return to their respective countries.
Discussing Canada’s allegations of India’s involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil, Jilani highlighted Pakistan’s concerns about India’s alleged role in such actions. He mentioned that India’s tactics of assassinations were a cause for concern in South Asian countries and that several nations had expressed their worries at the United Nations.
In response to questions about Russian fuel purchases, the foreign minister stated that these deals did not violate any international laws or sanctions. He also mentioned the government’s intention to resolve obstacles related to the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project.
The construction of this 1,150-kilometer pipeline, initiated in 2013, had been stalled due to US sanctions on Iran, and Pakistan was actively engaged in discussions to address the project’s challenges.
