Islamabad, In a significant statement made before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague today, Pakistan has categorically termed the Israeli occupation and its policies towards Palestinians as acts of apartheid and systematic racial discrimination. Minister for Law and Justice Ahmed Irfan Aslam, representing Pakistan, articulated that these actions severely obstruct the Palestinian right to self-determination.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Aslam emphasized the detrimental effects of Israel’s illegal settlement policies, which aim to alter the demographic and geographic reality of the occupied territories. He argued that these actions not only perpetuate Israel’s unlawful occupation but also restrict access to the holy sites in Jerusalem. The Minister further asserted that the ICJ would be neglecting its judicial responsibilities if it did not intervene to prevent Israel from benefiting from its ongoing violations of international law.

The oral statement coincides with a period of intensified violence against Palestinians by Israeli forces. Pakistan has consistently advocated for an immediate ceasefire, the provision of uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, and the pursuit of a fair, comprehensive, and lasting peace agreement. This includes the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as the only viable solution to the conflict.