Pakistan on Saturday expressed serious concern over rising tensions in the Middle East, attributing the instability and worsening humanitarian crisis to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and its recent strikes in Iran.
Speaking at the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s condemnation of Israel’s attack on Iran.
The high-level summit comes amid heightened tensions involving several OIC member states. Pakistan and Iran, in particular, have recently faced military escalations with regional adversaries. While a recent flare-up between Pakistan and India concluded with a ceasefire last month, Israel’s ongoing strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites have shown no signs of easing.
“Israeli aggression against Iran is not an isolated incident,” Dar told the forum. “It reflects a dangerous and consistent pattern of militarism that Israel has pursued across the Middle East.”
Dar emphasized Pakistan’s growing alarm over the region’s deteriorating security environment. “We are deeply concerned by the escalating tensions, the worsening instability, and the humanitarian crises gripping the Middle East,” he said. “At the core of many of these crises is the unchecked impunity with which Israel continues to destabilize the region.”
He condemned Israel’s actions against Iran as “unprovoked aggression,” calling them violations of international law and the UN Charter, and warning that such conduct threatens both regional and global peace.
Turning to Gaza, the deputy prime minister described Israel’s military campaign as a “genocidal war” against Palestinians, noting that over 55,000 people — most of them women and children — have been killed since the conflict erupted in October 2023. He accused Israel of intentionally blocking humanitarian aid and targeting relief workers, which has displaced millions and devastated entire communities.
Dar called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding position that a just and lasting peace in the region requires the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital.
He also touched on last month’s military standoff between Pakistan and India, claiming that Pakistani forces had shot down six Indian fighter jets during the confrontation. Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional stability but warned that India's unilateral actions, including its suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, were exacerbating tensions.
“Pakistan will not allow India to deprive our people of water,” he said. “Such a move will be considered an act of war.”
In closing, Dar called on the OIC to play a more active and unified role in global affairs.
“The OIC must assert itself as the collective voice of the Muslim world,” he urged. “It has a vital role to play in navigating and influencing the rapidly changing global order in a way that protects and promotes the interests of its member states.”