Lahore: Jailed leaders of Pakistan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday called for an urgent multi-party conference to forge national consensus on peace and stability in Gaza. The statement was released through their lawyer, Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar, from Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore.
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The leaders — Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmood Al Rashid, and Ejaz Chaudhry — emphasized that sustainable peace in the region could only be achieved through a two-state solution and justice for Palestinians. They urged all political parties to reiterate their support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
The statement highlighted that more than 600 deaths have been reported in Gaza due to continuous ceasefire violations since the announcement of a fragile truce. It criticized Israel’s annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, unilateral changes to legal and demographic statuses, refusal to withdraw forces from Gaza, and obstruction of humanitarian aid, describing these actions as undermining the 20-point peace plan.
The leaders also questioned the fairness of Israel’s inclusion in the US-led Board of Peace while Palestinians remain excluded, citing violations of international law and UN principles. They expressed concern over rising tensions between the US and Iran, warning that a failure to reach an agreement could push the region toward war, with serious implications for Pakistan’s stability.
“The lack of meaningful debate in Pakistan’s parliament on the Palestinian issue and Middle East tensions makes a multi-party conference imperative,” the statement said, calling it “the need of the hour” to build a united national stance on the crisis.
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The UN has similarly raised alarms over escalating violence, noting that at least 463 Palestinians, including 157 children, died from starvation or attacks in Gaza over the past year, with ongoing Israeli operations prompting concerns over potential ethnic cleansing in the region.