Palestine is located in heart of Muslim world: speakers

• A round table discussion on Palestine situation.
• The session was chaired by Dr Naeem Ahmed.
• Dr Sabir Abu Maryam participated in session.

KARACHI: A round table discussion on the “Contemporary Situation in Occupied Areas of Palestine” was organized by the Department of International Relations of the University of Karachi in collaboration with distinguished Palestinian delegates and Dr Sabir Abu Maryam, Secretary-General of Palestine Foundation Pakistan.

The Session was chaired by the Chairperson IR Department Dr Naeem Ahmed and the guest speakers included a delegation of two people from Palestine, Yousef Abbas and Dr Adeeb Yasir Ji from Global Campaign to Return to Palestine, and Dr Sabir Abu Maryam from Palestine Foundation.

The keynote speakers were the KU Dean Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Prof Dr Shaista Tabassum, and the department’s former chairperson Dr Talat Wizarat, other participants included faculty members, researchers, and students from various institutes including the University of Karachi, NUML University and NED University.

Dr Naeem Ahmed welcomed the Palestinian guests and participants of the seminar and elaborated on the benefits of people to people relations between Pakistan and Palestine. He also mentioned that the Palestinians are fighting a war for their right to self-determination.

In the keynote address, Prof Dr Shaista Tabasum raised the question that it is important to distinguish that it is important to decide whether the problem of Palestine is the problem of the land war or is it a war of religion and jihad.

She also put forward important questions regarding the current status of the Palestinian Independence struggle and its future and also mentioned the similarity between Palestine and Kashmir issues.

Dr Talat A Wizarat noted the significance of humanitarian and rights-based aspects of the Palestinian issue and expressed fear of biological warfare being conducted by Israelis against the Palestinians.

The Palestinian delegation noted their arrival to Pakistan and the University of Karachi as an honor and expressed their affection for Pakistan in Palestine, especially with reference to Iqbal and Jinnah, and the geopolitical importance of the country in the Muslim world.

Also Read

Israel’s criticism of human rights in Pakistan ‘politically motivated’: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office issued a statement after Israel commented on the...

Meanwhile, Dr Sabir Abu Maryam addressed the students and encouraged them to speak for Palestinian Cause. He questioned the ambiguities which are being created in Pakistan regarding the country’s support for the Palestinian cause as an organized effort aimed at Pakistan’s gradual building of relations and eventual recognition of Israel.