ISLAMABAD, Pakistan urged UN Security Council to impose a ceasefire and hold Israel accountable for war crimes in Palestine, as a year of Israel’s barbarism ends with 42,000 Palestinian deaths.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokeswoman for the Foreign Office, stated during her weekly press briefing, “The past year has seen Israel’s indiscriminate and horrifying attacks on civilian targets, including hospitals, schools, and shelters… We call upon the UN Security Council to act decisively and impose an immediate and permanent ceasefire, protecting the people of Gaza.”

The speaker condemned Israeli airstrikes on Khalifa Bin Zayed School, a mosque, and a refugee camp, claiming they were war crimes and called for accountability of Israel on its crimes against humanity.

She said that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Mia Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif will preside over the 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of SCO member states, scheduled for October 15-16, 2024.

The CHG, the SCO’s second-highest decision-making body, will review the organization’s performance and talk about cooperation in the areas of trade, economy, environment, and sociocultural ties.

“Since becoming a member in 2017, Pakistan has worked consistently and constructively to strengthen good neighbourly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation among SCO member states. The hosting of CHG by Pakistan reflects the abiding commitment of Pakistan to the purposes and principles of the SCO Charter and the values ​​of the Shanghai Spirit,” the spokesperson remarked.

The spokesperson condemned the recent terrorist attack near Karachi airport, stating that the perpetrators and facilitators will be apprehended, and the attack is an attack on Pakistan and the enduring friendship between the two nations.

She reaffirmed that Pakistan is committed to the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions, and is working closely with China to combat terror forces.

She expressed concerns over the Indian government’s decision to extend the ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) as an unlawful association for five years, urging the Indian authorities to release incarcerated leader Yasin Malik and lift the ban on JKLF and other political parties.

She revealed that Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Investment Engineer Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih is set to visit Pakistan from October 9-11, 2024, to meet with the president and prime minister, with the aim of enhancing bilateral cooperation and mutually rewarding economic partnership.

She disclosed that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited Pakistan, met with Shehbaz, Zardari, and signed MoUs on trade and telecommunications. They discussed bilateral, regional, and global issues.

She stated that the sixth Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, attended by Pakistan, expressed concern over Afghanistan’s security situation, highlighting the need for combating terror and preventing its territory from being used against neighboring countries and the wider region.