ISLAMABAD: President Anwar Sadat of Egypt has expressed his deep appreciation of Pakistan’s firm solidarity with Arabs in their just struggle to restore the usurped Arab right. The Egyptian President said this in a message to Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in reply to the latter’s message. Following is the text of the Egyptian President’s message: “I thank you most sincerely for your message indicating the profound interest you are taking in the news of the battle being fought by our gallant Army against aggressive Israel. The Egyptian people, their Government and myself are deeply appreciative of Pakistan’s firm solidarity with us in our just struggle to restore the usurped Arab right. Please accept my warmest good wishes and highest fraternal consideration.” — News agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from the United Nations,] the Security Council today [Oct 22] called for a standstill cease-fire in the Middle East and the start, “immediately and concurrently” of peace and negotiations. In an emergency session the Council approved by 14 votes to nil, with China declaring non-participation, a joint Soviet-U.S. resolution which gave all parties to the conflict 12 hours to stop fighting.

Published in Dawn, October 23th, 2023