Federal cabinet calls for war crimes proceedings against Israel

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal cabinet on Wednesday adopted a resolution reiterating support for the Palestinians, condemning Israel acts of barbarity and called for initiation of war crimes proceedings.

Addressing the federal cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Israel’s continuing barbaric acts in Palestine had been unprecedented in the human history as it was targeting the innocent citizens including children and women in Gaza and rest of other Palestinian areas.

The prime minister said that during Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and SCO plus summits in Astana, he had raised a strong voice for the rights of the oppressed people of Palestine.

He stressed for resolution of Palestine issue in accordance with the United Nations resolutions, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

The earlier resolution passed by the cabinet in support of Palestinians said till October 7, 2023 more than 39,000 Palestinians had been martyred due to barbarity of Israel. Human populations, hospitals, schools, UN and media offices, workers and media people, none among them were safe from indiscriminate bombing, firing and killing spree. The Palestinians areas had turned into graveyard and heaps of destruction. Such a precedent of barbarity, cruelty and brutality was unmatched in the recent history.

Mere condemnation of Israeli acts of cruelty and aggression was not suffice as despite ICJ’s decisions, UN resolutions, demands of human rights bodies, institutions and protests by the civilized people of the world, these acts of brutalities continued unabated, it was added.

The resolution further demanded of the international community and institutions to impose embargoes upon Israel for its war crimes besides, initiation of other legal, diplomatic and administrative measures. A berserk state should be made to abide by the international and rights laws and stop spilling of blood of innocent Palestinians otherwise, the conflict could be widened, it cautioned.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) had already declared Israeli presence in Palestinian areas as illegal and termed Israeli settlements in Palestinian areas as violation of the international laws. The ICJ should also order compensation to the Palestinians for such scale of destruction, it was asserted.

Pakistan also urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), as joint voice of the Muslim states, to renew its efforts for the joint and unanimous efforts and mull over formulation of a joint strategy in this regard.

The federal cabinet also appreciated and fully supported SCO for adopting a clear and solid stance in support of Palestine, in its summit held on July 4.

The cabinet demanded of the international community to make Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity and bringing it to face court of justice. The ICJ had declared Israeli brutalities as genocide of Palestinians.

It further stressed upon the global community to accelerate its efforts to ensure ceasefire and supply of human assistance in Gaza.

The prime minister also strongly condemned an attack and vandalism of national flag at Pakistan’s Mission in Frankfurt, Germany and said that elements involved in such act should face strict legal action.

He also condemned the recent incidents of terrorism in the country and paid tribute to the personnel of security forces who laid down their lives in these incidents. The prime minister prayed for the high ranks of the shuhada in Jannah.

“The federal cabinet, in its meeting, approved enforcement of online visa application system for the citizens of 126 countries aimed at promotion of business and investment activities and tourism sector. Under the system, the citizens of these 126 countries would get business and tourist visa within 24 hours and would be exempted from paying free visa processing fee,” the press release said.

Moreover, for the facilitation of Sikhs Yatrees having passports of third country, the cabinet approved separate sub-category in visa on arrival facility. For this purpose, a dashboard would be introduced at ministry of interior to supervise the online visa system.

The federal cabinet, on the recommendations of  Islamabad, Balochistan, Sindh, Lahore and Peshawar High Courts and ministry of law and justice, also granted its approval to notifying special courts and banking courts with regard to banking cases.

These included establishments of Special Court on Offences in Banks at  Islamabad under Section 37 of the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Act 1997, Special Court on Offences in Banks at Quetta and similar Special Courts at Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Peshawar, the latter would be set up as Banking Court-1 Peshawar.

These special and banking courts would function under Security Exchange Commission.

The cabinet also gave a go ahead to singing of MoU between Pakistan and Denmark for promotion of public private partnership over logistics, transport, green and sustainable growth, water waste management, urban green development, alternate energy and construction of basic infrastructure.

The resolution also reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued support to freedom of people of Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and their legitimate rights as enshrined in the UN resolutions and the international laws.

The cabinet stressed for increased efforts at provision of necessary goods including food stuff to Palestinians.

“Pakistan, once again, stresses upon the UN and global community to take immediate steps for the resolution of lingering disputes of the regions. Renewed efforts should be made for the for the establishment of free Palestine state with Al Quds Al Shareef as its Capital on pre-1967 borders, and for the two-state solution,” the press release in Urdu text quoted a part of the resolution.