Pakistan welcomes ICJ’s ruling on Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday welcomed the additional provisional measures by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah in conformity with its obligations under the Genocide Convention and the worsening deteriorating humanitarian conditions faced by civilians.

Pakistan supports the application filed by South Africa before the ICJ against Israel under the 1948 Genocide Convention, in follow up to which the Court has announced additional provisional measures, a statement issued by the Foreign Office said.

As required by the latest ruling of ICJ, Israeli occupation authorities should keep the Rafah crossing open for unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance, and ensure unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission or other investigative body mandated by the United Nations to investigate allegations of genocide, the official news agency reported.

Pakistan demands immediate and unconditional implementation of the latest orders of the ICJ as well as the previous orders of 26 January and 28 March, the statement added.

“We call on the UN Security Council to play its role in ending Israel’s ongoing brutal military campaign across Gaza; allowing unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance; taking effective measures to protect civilians in Gaza; and holding Israel accountable for its crimes.”

Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinians for a viable, secure, contiguous and sovereign State of Palestine on the basis of the pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, the Foreign Office added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reaffirming Pakistan’s strong commitment to the just struggle of the Palestinian people, lauded the International Court of Justice’s decision to order Israel to stop its assault on Gaza and Rafah.

“We hope the oppressed people of Kashmir would receive similar attention from the international community, as they too have been enduring brutal occupation and denial of fundamental human rights for the last seven decades,” the prime minister said on his official X timeline.