Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Tuesday said that Pakistan remains committed to two-state solution of the Palestinian conflict based on 1967 borders.
Responding to the points of Mian Raza Rabbani in the Senate on Tuesday, he said that Pakistan’s position is in line with the United Nations and OIC resolutions. He said that the Presidency did not issue the statement after consultation with the Foreign Ministry.
“I don’t know in what context the president talked about a one-state solution,” Jilani remarked, adding that Pakistan’s position has always been a two-state solution. He further said that after the president’s statement, an explanatory statement had to be issued, which was also sent to the OIC Secretariat as well as the United Nations.
Meanwhile, replying to a question during the Question Hour, the Foreign Minister told the House that about 2.5 million Pakistanis are working in Saudi Arabia. He said round the clock helpline has been established in the Pakistani Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate General in Jeddah to address their complaints. He said the Saudi authorities have given the assurances to provide jobs to those facing employment related problems at alternative companies. Jalil Abbas Jilani said the Federal Investigation Agency has busted two to three gangs of beggars, who were trying to travel to Saudi Arabia under the garb of Umrah.
Earlier, the PPP Senator Raza Rabbani has demanded President Arif Alvi resign from office over his statement on Palestine. He was speaking in the Senate, chaired by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani. He said the president had held a telephone conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, after which a statement issued by the Presidency said Dr Alvi suggested a “one-state solution” to the Palestine-Israel conflict.
“A one-state solution has never been Pakistan’s position,” the senior lawmaker stressed. “We have always taken the principled position of two states.” “Through the Senate chairman, I demand the resignation of the president over this statement,” Rabbani remarked. He also asked the caretaker foreign minister to tell the lawmakers what steps the government took after the president’s disastrous statement. He added that 5,000 children had been martyred in Palestine. The situation in Gaza is getting worse by the day, the PPP senator said, adding that the Muslim world was sitting as a silent spectator over the situation in Palestine.
