Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had an excellent telephone call with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store and appreciated Norway’s decision to recognize the State of Palestine in wake of Israel’s atrocious military aggression. The two leaders welcomed the recent decision of the International Court of Justice, ordering Israel to halt its heinous actions in Gaza and Rafah. Both Norway and Pakistan firmly believe that the UN backed two-state solution offers the best path to lasting peace in the Middle East. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hoped that the bold and principled decision by Norway, Spain and Ireland would encourage other countries to follow suit in recognizing the statehood of Palestine. He expressed the optimism that the international community pays similar attention to the plight of brave, innocent Kashmiris who are also facing brutal occupation and oppression for the past 76 years.