Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on the special instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Monday left for Turkey on an extensive diplomatic mission to draw global attention towards the fast-deteriorating situation in Palestine.
The foreign minister, along with foreign ministers of Sudan, Palestine and Turkey would, then, leave for New York.
The foreign minister will also address an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to reaffirm Pakistan’s support for the cause of oppressed Palestinians.
Pakistan joins hands with Palestine, Sudan and Turkey to address an emergency session on #Palestine called by the United Nations General Assembly. Pakistan stands firmly with the people of Palestine.
🇵🇰 🇵🇸 🇸🇩 🇹🇷— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) May 17, 2021
During his stay in New York, foreign minister Qureshi would hold important meetings with different key figures, a press release said.
He would also talk to local and international media and present Pakistan’s stance over the situation in Palestine.
Foreign Ministers discuss Palestine
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Sunday spoke to his Qatari, Palestinian and Pakistani counterparts to discuss the evolving situation in Palestine.
In separate phone calls, Cavusoglu discussed the latest developments in Palestine and steps to be taken in the international arena, according to diplomatic sources.
He made phone calls to Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, following the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)’s executive committee meeting.
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in airstrikes since May 10, killing at least 197 people, including 34 women and 58 children, as well as injuring 1,235 more people.
Tensions spread from East Jerusalem to Gaza after Palestinian resistance groups there vowed to retaliate against recent Israeli assaults on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood if they were not halted.
Read more: Exposing western media’s biasness towards Israel
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.
APP with additional input by GVS News Desk