Palestinian President gets warm reception at PM House

ISLAMABAD: President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas, who is in Pakistan on a three-day official visit, received a warm welcome at the prime minister’s house on Tuesday.

Abbas had a one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, followed by delegation-level talks.

Palestinian President accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival in the federal capital on Monday.

President Abbas, accompanied by a 17-member delegation including five ministers, was received by President Mamnoon Hussain at the Nur Khan Airbase.

Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Abdul Qadir Baloch and ambassadors of different Islamic countries were also present at the airbase to greet the dignitary.

The two leaders would also inaugurate the newly constructed Palestine Embassy Complex in the Diplomatic Enclave. Pakistan had gifted a piece of land in 1992 for the purpose and in 2013 the government also contributed towards its construction.

It is the third visit by Abbas to Pakistan. He had previously been to Pakistan in 2005 and 2013.

The Foreign Office in a statement said that the relations between Pakistan and Palestine had traditionally been strong.

Pakistan consistently supported the creation of an independent, viable and contiguous Palestinian state, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Pakistan had also extended support to the Palestinian struggle for their independent homeland, at all international forums, the statement added.