Metro53 - ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain has called for a worldwide boycott of Israel, condemning the ongoing atrocities against Palestinians and criticizing the silence of the international community.
He said the arrest of members of the “Global Samood Flotilla” and the obstruction of humanitarian aid vessels should compel the world to unite against Israel. “Women and children are being massacred while global powers remain silent spectators,” he remarked.
The minister stressed that Pakistan must strongly react to Israel’s aggressive conduct and assured that the government would adopt a firm stance on the issue. He added that Israel’s actions over the past two years against Palestinians were “highly condemnable.”
He further stated that Israel’s raid on the flotilla amounted to piracy and terrorism, underscoring that the country neither showed remorse nor guilt for its atrocities.
Clarifying Pakistan’s position, Mr Hussain said the government had no plan to recognize Israel and that discussions were underway on a 20-point agenda to counter the ongoing oppression in Palestine.
Speaking about overseas employment, he revealed that 735,000 Pakistanis went abroad for work last year. The government, he said, was now focusing on creating new opportunities at the white-collar and managerial levels as well.
Commenting on foreign relations, the minister expressed satisfaction with Pakistan-US ties, claiming he had never seen them as strong as they were today. He emphasized that Pakistan should deal with all countries on an equal footing.
On political matters, Mr Hussain said dialogue between the government and the PPP would help resolve issues, adding that disagreements between allied parties were normal but required a broad-minded approach.
Regarding Azad Jammu and Kashmir, he urged the government to address the tense situation through dialogue and to visit the region to resolve matters on the ground.
