Dar tells UN peace in Middle East depends on Palestinian self-determination

Pakistan reiterated its longstanding support for Palestinian rights and called for sustained diplomatic efforts toward a just resolution of the Middle East conflict during a high-level United Nations Security Council briefing on the Palestinian question on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar addressed the council in New York, underscoring Pakistan’s position that “there can be no durable peace without justice, no stability without accountability, and no sustainable solution without the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.”

In remarks summarising Islamabad’s stance, the foreign minister said Pakistan remained “fully engaged in diplomatic efforts aimed at permanent cessation of hostilities and a just resolution of the conflict.”

Dar reiterated Pakistan’s condemnation of what it regards as recent illegal measures by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories and reaffirmed opposition to actions that alter the status of the territory, characterising them as violations of international law.

The minister highlighted Pakistan’s participation in diplomatic initiatives, including the Board of Peace, a US-backed forum aimed at advancing ceasefire implementation, reconstruction and political dialogue.

Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan posted on X that Dar would reaffirm the country’s “principled and consistent position on Palestine” ahead of the meeting, emphasising opposition to Israeli control expansion in the West Bank and the necessity of scaled-up humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

Pakistan has consistently supported a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state and has voted in favour of related UN Security Council resolutions, while maintaining that any lasting peace must be anchored in international law and respect for Palestinian rights.