Pakistan slams Israel for banning UN chief’s entry into country

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has condemned Israel for its “unjustified and slanderous” attacks on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, barring him from entering the country and declaring him “persona non grata.”

“Pakistan stands in full solidarity with the UN Secretary-General and commends his principled and courageous stance on the situation in the Middle East, particularly the atrocities in Gaza and the aggression against Lebanon,” Ambassador Munir Akram said in an interview with APP’s UN correspondent.

“We strongly condemn Israel’s unjustified and slanderous attacks against the UN Secretary-General and the UN, which is a pillar of world order,” the Pakistan UN envoy said. “Insult and abuse is the weapon of aggressors and oppressors,” he added.

Israel’s aggression in Gaza has killed over 41,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and its new offensive against Lebanon has also caused thousands of casualties in both war zones as well as massive displacement of people there.