Islamabad: Dar said these gains reflected a Somali-owned and Somali-led path towards political reconciliation and cooperation. ‘This positive momentum must be protected and reinforced, not sabotaged and undermined by actions that risk fragmenting the country and reversing hard-earned progress across the entire milieu of national indicators. Pakistan also recognizes the sacrifices and resilience of the Somali people and its security forces in thwarting the consistent threat posed by Al-Shabab and its affiliates,’ he further added.
The deputy prime minister/foreign minister said Israel’s brazen recklessness undermined regional and international efforts aimed at combating terrorism in a region beset with this challenge.
It also opened the door to the creation of fragile environments susceptible to infiltration and exploitation by extremist groups, thereby negatively impacting regional and global security.
In this context, he said, the continued support for Somalia’s security and stabilization efforts remained indispensable.
At this pivotal juncture, when Somalia was focused on defeating extremism, any action that deflected attention, weakened cohesion, or fueled division was profoundly irresponsible, he added.
DPM/FM Dar reiterated ‘Pakistan fully aligns itself with the OIC’s call for all States and organizations to refrain from any form of formal, semi-formal, or informal engagement with the authorities of Somaliland, and to ensure that any engagement strictly respects the sovereignty and unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.’
He further stressed that Pakistan categorically rejected any proposal or plan aimed at the forced displacement of Palestinians and linkages of the Somaliland region of Federal Republic of Somalia with any such illegal action.
Any action that advocated or implied the displacement or relocation of Palestinians not only violated international law but also undermined the prospect of a just and lasting peace in the region, he added.
‘We reaffirm our steadfast support for the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle for self-determination. The only path to lasting peace and stability lies in the realization of an independent, contiguous and sovereign state of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital,’ the DPM/FM further emphasised.
As a frontline supporter of the UNSCR 2803 and the ‘Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict’, he said Pakistan reiterated the intention to contribute to its successful implementation thereof, with a view to ensuring the sustainability of the ceasefire, bringing an end to the war in Gaza, to secure a dignified life for the Palestinian people who had endured prolonged humanitarian suffering, and leading to a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.