TASHKENT -UNS: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Thursday strongly denounced the Israeli bombardment in Gaza and drew a historical parallel, highlighting similarities between Israel’s actions and those of Pharaoh for killing innocent children.
The prime minister was addressing the 16th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where he urged the member countries to rally the efforts to hold Israel to account for its incessant and lethal bombing on the Palestinian people.
In his wide-ranging address, PM Kakar raised the issue of Gaza humanitarian crisis twice, and reiterated condemnation of the killing of children and women, and targeting of the hospitals. He also touched upon the challenges and opportunities for regional economic cooperation in the aftermath of COVID-19, the theme of the summit.
“With the elimination of children, I recall in the history when Pharaoh, on the advent of the Moses’ birth slaughtered children. And now, unfortunately, the people who claim to be the followers of Moses, are following the path of Pharaoh,” he remarked.
Kakar told the ECO leaders that the incessant and lethal Israeli bombardment on Gaza was a deplorable act that called for international condemnation.
He said the resolution of the conflict needed to be addressed as per the resolutions of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
The prime minister urged the member countries to support a ceasefire and back the call for the provision of humanitarian aid, besides rallying efforts to hold Israel accountable.
He urged the participating countries and international community to rally behind to have a humanitarian corridor so that the unfortunate and defenseless people of Palestine could be helped out.
The PM also apprised the regional leaders of the unabated Indian atrocities in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and urged the ECO countries to support the Kashmiris in achieving their right of self-determination.
Kakar also touched upon the issues of intolerance, violence and xenophobia, and called upon the ECO members and international community to work for building legal deterrence against Islamophobia while maintaining mutual respect, harmony and coexistence.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Caretaker Commerce Minister Gohar Ejaz, Caretaker Communications Minister Shahid Ashraf Tarar accompanied the prime minister in the summit held at the Tashkent Convention Centre.
PM Kakar is on a two-day visit of Uzbekistan mainly to attend the summit, besides engaging with the leaders of different countries to discuss mutual cooperation.
