Pakistan's FM Dar Attends Jerusalem Ministerial Meeting in Jordan
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar traveled to Jordan this week to participate in a ministerial meeting focused on the situation in occupied Jerusalem, according to the Foreign Office (FO). The visit, which began on Tuesday, was aimed at formulating a unified position among Arab League member states and a group of Islamic countries on the issues facing the holy city.
The Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem, scheduled for Wednesday, brought together foreign ministers from these nations to discuss the deteriorating situation in the region. Dar's attendance was at the invitation of Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Al Safadi, as confirmed by the FO in a statement shared on social media.
During the visit, the attending foreign ministers were also expected to call on His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The FO noted that Dar would hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting to exchange views on regional developments, including the humanitarian situation in Palestine.
The FO described Dar's participation as "a manifestation of Pakistan's principled support for the Palestinian people" and its commitment to the establishment of an "independent, sovereign and contiguous" State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
On Wednesday, Dar met with Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister Safadi, with discussions covering the "deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank." The two foreign ministers exchanged views on regional developments and Dar appreciated Jordan's role in safeguarding the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and its support for the Palestinian people.
Both leaders welcomed the growing momentum in Pakistan–Jordan bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation across political, defence, economic, educational, cultural and people-to-people domains. They also discussed the regional situation, including recent developments in the conflict between the United States and Iran, underscoring the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for de-escalation.
Separately, Dar held a bilateral meeting with Abdisalam Abdi Ali, Somalia's Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. They reviewed longstanding fraternal ties and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in political, economic, defence, education, and capacity-building sectors.
Pakistan and other Muslim countries have repeatedly condemned "continued incursions by extremist Israeli settlers" into Al Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site, located in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed. The Al-Aqsa compound is a central symbol of Palestinian identity and a frequent flashpoint. Under long-standing arrangements, Jewish people may visit the compound but are not permitted to pray there. While Israel says it is committed to maintaining this status quo, Palestinians fear it is being eroded.
In June, the foreign ministers of Pakistan and eight other Muslim countries expressed their "categorical rejection" of any attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.