Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has called for serious efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire and to ensure the unhindered flow of food, humanitarian aid and medical assistance, alongside progress toward the recognition of Palestine as an independent state.

In an interview with Arab News, he welcomed the joint initiative by France and Saudi Arabia to organize a three-day conference beginning from tomorrow at the United Nations in New York, aiming to chart a path toward peace and a sovereign Palestinian state.

Ishaq Dar said Pakistan has a clear foreign policy for decades, that the two-state solution is the only answer to the Palestine problem.

He further said that Pakistan has been actively contributing to humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza as well Syria and Lebanon.

Reiterating Pakistan's stance on Palestine, Ishaq Dar said his country fully supports the Palestinian cause and their right to self-determination, specifically, the establishment of an independent and contiguous state of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, based on the pre-1967 borders.

Alluding to Pakistan's efforts to highlight Palestine issue, Ishaq Dar said Pakistan, in coordination with Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, has seized every opportunity to raise its voice in support of Palestinian brothers and sisters, whether at the UN General Assembly or the UN Security Council.

Drawing parallels with Kashmir dispute, he said Pakistan has actively engaged through all relevant forums, including the OIC, G-8, SCO and others, to raise the issues of both Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir. In the case of Kashmir issue, India has acted in clear violation of UN Security Council and other international resolutions. Similarly, in the case of Palestine, the core problem remains the same, a lack of respect for UN resolutions.

Emphasizing the importance of resolution of disputes through peaceful means, Ishaq Dar said solution to conflicts does not lie in kinetic actions like wars and violence. He asserted that the real path forward is through dialogue and diplomacy, and Pakistan is a firm believer in this approach.

Ishaq Dar also lamented the targeting of journalists covering the conflict by Israel. He said they have been declared persona non grata and targeted, with many losing their lives. This is deeply unfortunate, and this genocide must end as soon as possible.