LAHORE(National times)- Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, has said that Pakistan’s participation in the Gaza Peace Board is solely intended to safeguard the interests of the Palestinian people and does not represent any change in the country’s long-standing policy on Palestine. Speaking about the first meeting of the Gaza Peace Board held in Washington to review the situation in the Palestinian territory, Ashrafi stated that the position of the Pakistani state and its people on the Palestinian issue remains united. He alleged that certain elements were attempting to create divisions within the country for political purposes by misrepresenting Pakistan’s involvement in the forum. Ashrafi said that Pakistan, along with other Islamic countries, had joined the Gaza Peace Board to support the people of Palestine. He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had consistently represented the sentiments of the Muslim Ummah on the Palestinian issue. He expressed hope that at the latest session of the board, the prime minister would once again reaffirm Pakistan’s principled stance on Palestine.
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Ashrafi reiterated that Pakistan’s position is clear: the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with Al-Quds as its capital, reconstruction of Gaza, a complete ceasefire, and an end to what he described as Israeli aggression and brutality. He emphasised that Pakistan’s participation in a United Nations-approved ceasefire and reconstruction framework concerning Gaza does not signal any shift in policy. Since its inception, he said, Pakistan has supported the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the creation of an independent state, and has not recognised Israel. That policy, he maintained, remains unchanged. Ashrafi further clarified that joining the Board of Peace was a collective decision involving countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Indonesia. Linking participation in the forum to any form of normalisation or recognition of Israel, he said, was incorrect. He added that engagement in multilateral forums does not equate to establishing diplomatic relations but reflects a global responsibility to contribute to peace efforts. Pakistan’s presence at the forum, he said, is subject to clear conditions: a permanent ceasefire, reconstruction of Gaza, and paving the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Ashrafi noted that decisions on ceasefire and reconstruction are best shaped by countries that are present at the negotiating table. Pakistan’s role, he said, is to ensure that no step is taken contrary to Palestinian interests while upholding its historic support for the Palestinian cause.
