NEW YORK: Pakistan has called on the UN Security Council to go beyond mere condemnation of the Israeli strikes targeting Hamas negotiators and hold Israel accountable for its “illegal and unprovoked aggression” against Qatar.
Speaking in the 15-member Council’s emergency meeting on the Middle East, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, underscored the need to safeguard the role and protection of mediators engaged in peace efforts, and to recommit to the centrality of international law and the UN Charter in maintaining international peace and security.
The meeting, requested by Pakistan, Algeria, and Somalia, was convened under the presidency of South Korea for the month of September.
“Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the illegal and unprovoked Israeli aggression against the brotherly State of Qatar,” the envoy said, calling it a “reckless and provocative attack” on Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He pointed out that the Israeli strikes targeted a residential neighborhood, deliberately endangering civilians and constituting a grave breach of international humanitarian law. “This brazen and illegal assault is not an isolated incident; rather, it is part of a broader and consistent pattern of aggression and violation of international law by Israel that undermines regional peace and stability,” he added.
Pakistan, the envoy said, expresses its complete solidarity with the Government and people of Qatar and fully supports their inalienable right to take all necessary measures, in accordance with the UN Charter, to defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of all persons within their territory.
“In a gesture of solidarity and regional unity, Prime Minister of Pakistan H.E. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, is visiting Qatar today,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad told delegates.
“The visit underscores Pakistan’s unwavering support for the security and sovereignty of Qatar and its commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East.”
He added: “This irresponsible action by Israel is yet another manifestation of its systematic disregard for international law and its brazen policy of destabilizing the region.
It adds to its long and dubious record of aggression — brutal military actions in Gaza, repeated cross-border strikes in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen — all of which amount to violations of the UN Charter and international humanitarian law.”
