The Pakistani delegation, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, walked out of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his speech. Alongside Pakistan, representatives from Iran and other states also boycotted the address.
The Pakistani delegation included Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Science and Technology Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Munir Akram.
Pakistan, which has no diplomatic ties with Israel, has consistently advocated for a “two-state solution” based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, in line with UN and OIC resolutions.
Following the October 7 attack, Pakistan called for peace and restraint in the Gaza conflict and strongly condemned Israel’s airstrikes, accusing the country of using “retaliation” as a cover for killing thousands of Palestinians.
Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 41,534 Palestinians and injured more than 96,000, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who spoke before Netanyahu, denounced Israel’s actions in his address. He called for an “immediate” halt to the military offensive, describing it as a “systematic slaughter” of innocent civilians.
“This is not just a conflict,” Sharif declared, “this is a systematic slaughter of innocent Palestinians. An assault on the very essence of human life and dignity.” He added that the international community must not remain silent on the “endless suffering” of Palestinians.
Sharif urged global leaders to act, stating, “It is not enough to condemn… we must act now and demand an immediate end to this bloodshed.” He stressed that the sacrifices of Palestinians “will never go to waste” and that the world must stand by them in their hour of need.