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ISLAMABAD, Sep 30 (APP):Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said that the Muslim nations, including Pakistan, were united on the Gaza issue, calling US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan a major breakthrough.
The deputy prime minister briefed the media on Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements during the 80th UN General Assembly session in New York and Washington, stressing that Gaza remained the central focus of the country’s agenda.
The deputy prime minister revealed that eight Muslim nations had put forward coordinated proposals to the U.S. administration, which were deliberately kept confidential to prevent attempts at sabotage. “This was no small agenda. It was Allah’s special blessing that Pakistan was among the countries chosen to play this historic role,” he said.
After sharing further details of how the proposal for ending the Israeli onslaught in Gaza was finalised, Dar said he had received messages from the Saudi foreign minister yesterday.
“He told me that five countries had reached a consensus on joint statement [regarding the Gaza plan] and that our agreement was needed on this matter as well, and that they had also reached out to Indonesia and the UAE.
“I then consulted the foreign secretary and proposed some changes. I spoke to the Saudi foreign minister again … as I had some objections … He then send me a revised version … and the joint statement was released.”
Dar told the media that the Palestinian Authority had also welcomed the statement.
“Some elements are opposing the 20-point plan for political reasons, but Gaza is above politics. The people of Palestine are accepting it, and that is what matters,” he asserted.
Dar also disclosed that Indonesia had offered 20,000 personnel for a proposed Gaza peacekeeping force, while Pakistan’s leadership would soon decide its own contribution. Under the plan, a technocratic government is envisaged for Palestine to ensure stability and reconstruction.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif actively raised the issue of Gaza both in his UNGA address and in a series of sideline meetings with world leaders, including a high-profile session with U.S. President Donald Trump, where the leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the UAE, and other Muslim nations jointly called for an immediate ceasefire.
“Gaza has reached a stage where hunger itself is being used as a weapon,” Dar remarked, adding that Muslim countries were unanimous in demanding an urgent ceasefire, withdrawal of occupying forces, and immediate humanitarian relief.
Highlighting Pakistan’s broader diplomatic outreach, Dar said he held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the UK, Germany, Belgium, Canada, and Sri Lanka, and attended OIC, Commonwealth, and climate change-related sessions. “In just five days, Pakistan participated in nearly 18 sideline meetings, ensuring its voice was heard on key global issues,” he noted.
Reiterating Pakistan’s consistent position, Dar said that Pakistan’s policy was clear and unchanged on Gaza. “And I rather would say the seven other countries are also with us on this…This plan, backed by eight committed nations, is a genuine step toward peace, security, and stability in the region.”