ISLAMABAD: Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa has reaffirmed support for Palestine because of the ‘reality of occupation’ of its territory by Israel.

Speaking to Palestinian envoy Walid Abu Ali, who called on him at the GHQ on Tuesday, Gen Bajwa said Pakistan viewed Kashmir and Palestine disputes similarly and both had “public, moral and political” support of people of the country.

This support, he added, would continue in view of the “reality of occupation”.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of the US act of extending recognition to Jerusalem as capital of Israel, although the city’s status was to be determined as part of a negotiated peace deal.

Meanwhile, Prime Minis­ter Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has left for Turkey to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) extra­or­di­nary summit on Al Quds and Palestine being held on Wednesday (today) in Istanbul to discuss the US decision to shift its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“The prime minister will convey the sentiments of the people and government of Pakistan of the unequivocal support to the people of Palestine. He will stress upon the OIC for a united stance on the issue of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and call upon the US administration to review its decision,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al-Aeysh also called on Gen Bajwa on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2017