Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed on Friday his commitment to the Palestinian cause in the National Assembly, assuring the House that the 20-point peace deal is the only possible solution to end the Gaza war.
He underscored that the priority right now is to end the bloodshed and put a stop to the war.
Dar clarified that Pakistan with seven other countries had recieved the 20-point agenda from the US. “There was no other item on the agenda during the meeting,” he said, adding that it was agreed to keep the discussions confidential.
According to the DPM, Qatar’s embassy was the convener for these meetings, which were not released to the media. “[United States] President [Donald] Trump’s committee also came and open talks were held on what they wanted...They gave us a 20-point proposal.”
"Using the given framework, we made our own amendments based on our wishlist and submitted the changes to the US."
Trump disclosed the 20-point peace plan on Monday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompting questions on whether the initiative would lead to a two-state solution.
The deal has been met with criticism and concerns that Pakistan is waivering from its commitment to the Palestine cause.
Dar has consistently dismissed such claims. He insisted that there was no change in Pakistan's principled stance on the issue of Palestine, underscoring that Islamabad supports a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al Sharif as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Read: Dar: Pakistan may join international stabilization force for Gaza
The plan, backed by eight Muslim states — Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt — aims to enforce a ceasefire, protect civilians and begin rebuilding war-torn areas.
Dar confirmed that under the proposed agreement, an international peacekeeping contingent would be deployed to Palestine. He said Pakistan's leadership would soon decide whether to contribute troops, noting that Indonesia has already offered to send 20,000 soldiers.
The minister insisted that after the public release of the 20-point deal, conversations with his Saudi counterpart concluded with the realisation that ending the war still remains of utmost importance and rejecting the deal "would allow the bloodshed to continue".
Assuring parliament that this was the best course of action, Dar proclaimed that the United Nations and the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation have both failed to reach a peace deal. "With the US, we can see an end to the war."
Read more: Shehbaz backs Trump's Gaza peace plan, calls two-state solution key to lasting stability
Dar insisted before the House that Israel will never be recognised by Pakistan and that it remains committed to the two-state solution.
Jamat-e-Islami member and former senator Mushtaq Ahmad was detained by Israeli forces aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla on Thursday, along with atleast 400 other individuals, including notable persons like Greta Thunberg.
Ahmad was leading the Pakistani delegation as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, hoping to break the seige of Gaza.
Dar said Pakistan has reached out to a European country to negotiate the retrieval of all Pakistani citizens in Israeli custody.
Pak-Saudi Defence Pact
Addressing the "Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement" officailly signed with Saudi Arabia on September 18, the minister procalimed that Pakistan has had a long sustained deep relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and that this defence pact had been in the works for a very long time, "This is an extremely important agreement; it was not made blindly or hastily."
"Many other countries have shown interest in entering a defence pact with Pakistan, with many states approaching Pakistan during the UNGA." He suggested that if more countries join, then "this will become a NATO-like alliance."
Also read: Pakistan, KSA sign defence pact
The pact declared that "any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both," according to a Pak-Saudi joint statement.
The pact was signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Riyadh at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.
PPP stages walkout
Members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) briefly walked out of the National Assembly session on Friday over ongoing tensions with coalition partner PML-N, while journalists also staged a protest over the recent police raid at the National Press Club.
"So, we are walking out today," PPP’s Naveed Qamar announced during the session, citing unresolved grievances despite earlier dialogue with the government.
Shortly after, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar began his address, expressing hope that differences between the two parties would be resolved. He requested Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain to reach out to PPP leaders and persuade them to return to the House.
As Dar continued his speech, some PPP members were seen re-entering the hall, greeted with applause. Acknowledging their return, the foreign minister said the issues would be resolved through leadership-level engagement on both sides.
The PPP had staged a similar walkout during the September 30 NA session over remarks made by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The dispute, which began over flood compensation, escalated to a broader conflict over water rights along the Indus River after Maryam advised the PPP to "keep its advice to itself".
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