Pakistani foreign minister, top Palestinian judge meet in Islamabad

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistan's top diplomat Ishaq Dar and the Palestinian Authority’s chief judge, Mahmoud al-Habash, met in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Friday.

During the meeting, Dar reiterated Islamabad's firm support for an independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous state of Palestine, based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, referring to Jerusalem.

"Reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and their just struggle for freedom, dignity & statehood," Dar said through the US social media company X, after the meeting.

The four-member delegation, led by al-Habash, arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday to attend the 50th International Seerat-un-Nabi Conference -- an annual religious gathering on the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad -- slated to be held on Saturday.

Dar also pledged continued support for the Palestinian people, calling for unhindered humanitarian aid, a permanent and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, as well as accountability for Israel.

"Firmly rejected Israeli aggression & war crimes: genocide, starvation, man-made famine, mass killings, settlements, annexations & forced displacement," he added.

Israel has so far killed at least 64,300 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.