Dar warns against altering East Jerusalem status

DPM/FM Ishaq Dar on Saturday expressed concern over the continued violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in Occupied East Jerusalem. He reiterated Pakistan's steadfast support for the Hashemite Custodianship over the Islamic and Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem. The DPM/FM participated in Joint Arab League- Group of 4 Islamic Countries (Pakistan, Turkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia) Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem in New York. The meeting, convened by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, was a follow-up to the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem held in Amman on 5 August 5 this year, the Foreign Spokesperson said in a press release. The DPM/FM reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and for the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, in the meanwhile, had a cordial exchange with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Jordan Ayman Safadi on the sidelines of the 81st UNGA in New York. Dar expresses concern over continued violations; attempts to alter Occupied East Jerusalem legal status quo The two leaders exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and regional developments and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening Pakistan-Jordan relations. ECO Dar also expressed deep concern over the prevailing security situation in the region and the Middle East, and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law. He underscored the need for Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Member States to harness their collective potential to promote peace, resilience, and shared prosperity for the region's nearly half a billion people. The DPM/FM chaired the 27th Informal Meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release. Pakistan is currently chairing the ECO Council of Ministers for 2026–2027 under the theme "Reviving Regionalism for a Resilient ECO." The meeting was attended by Foreign Ministers and senior representatives of ECO Member States, including Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov, Foreign Minister of Iran Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Zheenbek Kulubaev, Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkiye Berris Ekinci, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the UN Vepa Hajiyev, Deputy Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the UN Laziz Karaev, and Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Beibut Kulatayev. Secretary General of ECO Dr. Asad Majeed Khan also briefed the Council. The Deputy Prime Minister expressed gratitude to ECO Member States for reposing confidence in Pakistan and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to advancing the Organization's objectives and strengthening regional cooperation.