n October 7, the government organised a multi-party conference to discuss the situation in Palestine. Held at the President’s House, the conference was attended by top leaders of most political parties. The participating leaders expressed solidarity with the Palestinians and demanded an end to Israel’s war on Gaza.

President Asif Ali Zardari said that it had been a year since the start of Israel’s brutal aggression in Palestine that had resulted in the death of more than 40,000 Palestinians. “We are deeply concerned over the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East and strongly condemns the Israeli barbarism and aggression against Palestinians as well as the assassination of top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah,” he said. He regretted that the international community had failed to stop Israel from committing a genocide in Palestine, especially in Gaza.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif also asked for decisive action to stop the bloodshed in Palestine. “The government of Pakistani will form a working group to coordinate efforts for relief and peace and mobilise support.”

The conference aimed to organise support for Gaza. It demanded an immediate ceasefire. Hafiz Naeem-ur Rehman, the Jamaat-i-Islami ameer said Israeli actions were “the worst crimes against humanity.” “It is a genocide of the Palestinians,” he remarked. “I think we need to send a very clear message from this platform: there should be one free Palestinian state,” he said.

“We state our deep concern at the continuing brutal aggression and genocide being committed by Israel against the Palestinians, despite repeated calls for ceasefire from the Organisation of Islamic Conference, the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, the International Court of Justice and the international community; We express our profound alarm at the impunity with which Israel is expanding the war theatre and threatening regional peace and security, and its continued violations of international law and the UN Charter, including its recent aggression against Lebanon, attacks in the West Bank, the assassinations of the Hamas leader in Tehran and the secretary general of Hezbollah in Lebanon, which constitute a threat to regional peace and security,” the APC declaration read.

The conference expressed unanimous unwavering support for the Palestinian cause. It asked for the implementation of the OIC and UN resolutions on Palestine that call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian territories.

The conference expressed unwavering unanimous support for the inalienable right of the people of Palestine and Occupied Kashmir to self-determination; for the OIC and UN resolutions on Palestine that call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian territories; and for a peaceful and negotiated solution to the conflict.

The conference urged the international community to take urgent measures to prevent Israel from further undermining regional peace and stability, including the prevention of further Israeli aggression against Lebanon and other regional countries.

The conference called for an urgent meeting of the OIC to discuss the situation in Palestine, Israel’s brutal aggression in the region and its implications for regional peace and security.

Pakistan has so far dispatched 10 consignments of humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, and medical relief assistance for the people of Lebanon. It has urged continued humanitarian aid to the brotherly people of Palestine, including educational opportunities for Palestinian students and medical treatment of wounded Palestinian children in Pakistan.

“Such a conference is a good initiative by the federal government to mark the first anniversary of the ongoing war and a great expression of solidarity. All parties seem united on the matter,” former minister Mushahid Hussain Sayed said, adding, “the world must act on this situation.”

Meanwhile, thousands of people held a rally in Karachi. The JI organised the march. Several other political groups also joined the demonstration.

The JI has also called for permanent offices of Hamas and Palestinian Liberation Organisation to be opened in Pakistan and urged the government to take a strong stand against Israel.

The writer is a staff member. vaqargillani@gmail.com