Pakistan has strongly condemned a reported attempt to target Makkah and ongoing Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, reaffirming that the sanctity of the Holy Mosques and the Kingdom’s territorial integrity will not be compromised.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan, speaking at the weekly media briefing on Thursday, described the attempt to target Makkah as a “heinous and deeply concerning” act that had wounded the religious sentiments of millions of Muslims worldwide.
Solidarity With Saudi Arabia
Khan said Pakistan stood alongside Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, peace and territorial integrity, while strongly condemning Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian areas and installations.
He added that Pakistan was closely monitoring the worsening situation in the Middle East and continued to support diplomacy and peaceful dialogue for resolving regional conflicts and achieving lasting peace.
Protest Over Indian Naval Manoeuvre
Turning to Pakistan-India relations, Khan said an Indian naval vessel had made an aggressive manoeuvre near a Pakistan Navy ship inside Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on September 15.
He termed the incident a serious violation of international law and a bilateral agreement.
Following the incident, India’s Chargé d’Affaires was summoned to the Foreign Office on Wednesday night and Pakistan’s protest was conveyed, he said. Khan added that Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in New Delhi would lodge a protest with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday.
PM Shehbaz to Lead Delegation to UNGA
The spokesperson also confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the high-level segment of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next week.
The official theme of the 81st session is “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All”, while the UNGA debate is scheduled to take place from September 22 to 26, with a final sitting on September 28.
According to the spokesperson, the prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, federal ministers and senior officials.
- In his UNGA address, the prime minister will outline Pakistan’s priorities on sustainable development, climate change, counterterrorism, Islamophobia, global economic challenges, UN reforms and issues confronting the Global South.
- The premier will also draw attention to the situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine.
- During the visit, PM Shehbaz will participate in high-level events and hold bilateral meetings with world leaders and the UN Secretary-General to highlight Pakistan’s commitment to multilateralism, the UN Charter, regional peace and international cooperation.
