Statement by H.E. Mohammad Ishaq Dar,
Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister of Pakistan
At the UN Security Council High-Level Briefing on “the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”
(23 September 2025)
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Mr. President,
At the outset, I wish to express my gratitude to you – Foreign Minister – for convening this meeting. I welcome the participation of all distinguished Ministers joining this important discussion.
2. I thank Secretary-General Guterres for his valuable briefing and thoughtful remarks. The Secretary-General’s voice has always been of wisdom and compassion – in Palestine and beyond – to promote peace and alleviate human suffering. We salute his dedication and devotion.
Mr. President,
3. We meet today in the shadow of a profound and deeply troubling tragedy. The Palestinian people are enduring unimaginable suffering — an unbearable daily toll of human lives, the destruction of homes and neighborhoods, and the obliteration of essential infrastructure. Hospitals, schools and markets lie in ruins; roads and utilities have been shattered. The very fabric of society has been torn apart.
4. Over 64,000 lives lost; these are not mere statistics –– they were grieving mothers, anguished fathers, suffering children, and revered elders. The devastation is immense, the grief immeasurable. The world must not remain silent.
5. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic proportions. Starvation grips the population, and famine has taken hold. According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, famine is now a reality in Gaza City, putting over half a million people at grave risk. In Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, famine looms imminently, threatening countless more lives.
6. The ongoing military operations in Gaza City inflict a relentless toll: dozens of Palestinians are killed each day, entire families displaced, and communities torn apart. Already, 300,000 people have been uprooted, and nearly one million face imminent displacement. The roar of fighter jets, the plumes of smoke from tank fire, and the collapse of buildings — what must this relentless violence mean for women, children, and the most vulnerable? And what of the hostages caught in the crossfire, whose lives hang in the balance?
7. In the West Bank, illegal settlement expansion continues unabated. The latest “E-1” plan is a grave violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions, as well as a stark manifestation of settler-colonialism in the 21st century, a blow to the two-state solution.
Mr. President,
8. The time for action is upon us. Pakistan calls for the following urgent and concrete measures:
– An immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire to halt the bloodshed and prevent further loss of life;
– Full, unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza and the immediate lifting of the blockade to allow life-saving aid to reach those in need;
– A categorical end to any forced displacement of Palestinians from their lands, while upholding the right of return for refugees, in accordance with international law, and establishing an international protection mechanism; and
Mr. President,
9. Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle for dignity, justice, and self-determination, through the establishment of a sovereign, independent and contiguous Palestinian State on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
10. Pakistan welcomes the Two-State Solution Conference chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. We also commend the recent recognitions of the State of Palestine by numerous Member States, a step that reflects adherence to justice and the principles of international law. Pakistan had the honour to be among the first countries to recognize the State of Palestine following the declaration of independence in 1988. This positive momentum must be sustained with resolute determination, seriousness of purpose, and an unwavering commitment to achieving a just and lasting solution.
Mr. President,
11. The people of Palestine are facing a crisis of historic proportions. Their suffering is a stain on our collective conscience. Gaza has become graveyard for the humanity as well as for the global conscience. We call upon the Security Council and the broader international community to act decisively, to uphold human dignity, to ensure accountability and deliver justice. The time for words has passed; the time for action is now.
I thank you!