Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday demanded an immediate end to the ongoing Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip, terming it “systematic slaughter” and “bloodshed”.

The premier was addressing the plenary meeting for the UN General Debate as the second speaker at the 79th session of the 193-member United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

“This is not just a conflict, this is a systematic slaughter of innocent Palestinians. An assault on the very essence of human life and dignity, the blood of Gazan children stains not just the hands of the oppressors but also those complicit in prolonging this cruel conflict,” the prime minister said as he blasted Israel for its actions.

He said humanity was diminished when the “endless suffering” of Palestinians was ignored.

“It is not enough to condemn … we must act now and demand an immediate end to this bloodshed. We must remember that the blood and sacrifice of innocent Palestinians will never go to waste. We must worry about their plight and difficulties and stand by them.”

He said the world must work for a durable peace for Palestine through a two-state solution. PM Shehbaz demanded that Palestine be immediately admitted as a full UN member.

The prime minister said he was expressing “the searing pain and anguish of Pakistanis at the plight of Gazans”.

“Our heart bleeds as we witness the tragedy unfolding in the holy land. A tragedy that shakes the very consciousness of humanity and the foundation of this institution.”

He asked whether the world could afford to remain silent while “children lie buried under the rubble of their shattered homes and can we turn a blind eye to the mothers cradling the lifeless bodies of the children.

PM Shehbaz said it was a matter of “great honour” for him to address the UNGA for the second time as the prime minister of Pakistan.

“Today, we face the most daunting challenges to the world order: Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, a dangerous conflict in Ukraine, destructive conflicts across Africa and Asia, rising geopolitical tensions, resurging terrorism, galloping poverty, stifling debt and the mounting impact of climate change. We feel the chill of a new world order,” the prime minister said.

The prime minister also pointed out that “in the span of a few days, Israel’s unrelenting bombing of Lebanon has killed over 500 people.”

He said the failure to implement UN resolutions had emboldened Israel and threatened to “drag the entire Middle East into a war whose consequences could be very grave and beyond imagination”.

Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium next upon which many delegations walked out of the proceedings, including Pakistan.

Also scheduled to speak is Bangladesh leader Muhammad Yunus, whose newly formed interim government has promised fresh elections after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster last month.

Tel Aviv’s bombardment of Gaza inches closer to a year and has expanded to Lebanon. This latest period of fighting in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered last October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel’s subsequent assault on Gaza has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies.

Blasts India’s ‘classic settler-colonial project’ in IOK

After he lambasted Israel’s atrocities in Palestine, PM Shehbaz called out India’s actions in occupied Kashmir, highlighting that the people there have struggled for their freedom and right to self-determination.

“Instead of moving towards peace, India has resigned from its commitments to implement Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. These resolutions mandate a plebiscite for the people of Kashmir to exercise their fundamental right to self-determination.

“Since August 5, 2019, India initiated unilateral illegal steps to enact what its leaders ominously call a ‘final solution’ for Kashmir,” he said.

Day in and day out, 900,000 Indian troops terrorise the people of Jammu and Kashmir with draconian measures, including prolonged curfews, extrajudicial killings and abductions of young Kashmiris, the premier said.

“At the same time, in a classic settler-colonial project, India is seizing Kashmiri land and properties and settling outsiders into occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their nefarious design to transform the Muslim majority into a minority, this hackney tactic is employed by all occupying powers.

“It has always failed and it shall fail in Kashmir too by the grace of God.

“The Kashmiri people are resolute in the rejection of the false Indian identity. New Delhi seeks to impose upon them very severe conditions and atrocities are being committed every hour,” PM Shehbaz said.

India’s policy of brutal coercion and oppression has ensured that Burhan Wani’s legacy continues to inspire the struggle and sacrifices of millions of Kashmiris, inspired by the legitimacy of their epic struggle, they remain defiant, the premier said.

“Their heart-wrenching stories remind us that behind every statistic lies a human life, a dream deferred and a hope shattered.

“Even more worryingly, it is engaged in a massive expansion of its military capabilities which are essentially deployed against Pakistan. Its military doctrines envisage a surprise attack and a limited war under the nuclear overhang.

“Thoughtlessly India has spurned Pakistan’s proposals for a mutual strategic restraint regime, its leadership has often threatened to cross the Line of Control and take over Azad Kashmir. Let me state in no uncertain terms that Pakistan will respond decisively against any Indian aggression,” he asserted.

“To secure durable peace, India must reverse the unilateral and illegal measures it has taken on August 5, 2019, and enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security [Council] resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

“Remember, illegal occupation creates a fresh hell every day in the killing fields of Palestine and the pristine valleys of occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

‘A new enemy’

The prime minister also spoke about how Pakistan fought terrorism for two decades, stating that the country had “boldly and most successfully defeated terrorist groups within”.

He said Pakistan had paid “a very heavy price”, adding that 80,000 citizens and military personnel were martyred, including innocent schoolchildren.

“The gory memories of APS (Army Public School) haunt us to date,” PM Shehbaz said, highlighting that Pakistan also sustained $150 billion in economic losses.

He said the country was now “confronted by a new wave of externally-financed terrorism”, referring to the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan outfit.

“By the grace of God, we are determined to eliminate this threat as well, through our comprehensive national effort Azm-i-Istehkam (resolve to promote peace and stability).”

The prime minister pledged that Pakistan would work collectively with the international community to “eliminate all forms of terrorism” and “reform the global counterterrorism architecture”.

‘New manifestations of Islamophobia’

Continuing his address, PM Shehbaz highlighted the rise of Islamophobia, calling it “another troubling global development”.

He added that this escalation had manifested in “frequent desecrations of the Holy Quran, attacks on mosques, stereotyping of Muslims and acts of discrimination and violence against them”.

He warned the UNGA of the “most alarming manifestation” of Islamophobia in the form of Hindu supremacy in India, which the prime minister said aggressively sought the subjugation of 200 million Muslims.

“The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation will work with the UN secretary general and the special envoy to develop an action plan to combat this scourge,” he said.

‘You do not quit’

The premier also recited a stanza from a poem which he said made him “enormously … emboldened, very brave and [able to] commit untiring efforts.

“This stanza is befitting hard work, facing challenges and paving the way for success stories.”

He recited: “When things go wrong as they sometimes will, when the road you are trudging is uphill, when the credits are low and the debts are high, when you want to smile but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit, rest if you must but don’t you quit.”

The prime minister explained that “this is how we’ve learned to face and negotiate our most daunting challenges.”

PM meets with Iraq, Nepal counterparts

Meanwhile, ahead of the main event today, PM Shehbaz met with his Iraqi and Nepalese counterparts on the sidelines of the UNGA, APP reported.

In his meeting with Nepal’s PM K.P. Sharma Oli, the premier expressed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen multi-faceted bilateral cooperation in various areas.

The two leaders reiterated their commitment to continue exploring avenues for enhancing bilateral and regional ties.

Congratulating Oli on assuming the office as the prime minister, PM Shehbaz conveyed warm sentiments for the people and the government of Nepal on behalf of the Pakistani nation.

Expressing satisfaction at the excellent bilateral ties between Pakistan and Nepal, the premier also extended an invitation to his Nepalese counterpart to visit Pakistan.

Separately, in their meeting, PM Shehbaz and his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani agreed to improve existing bilateral ties and enhance mutually beneficial cooperation.

The premier appreciated the Iraqi government’s arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims last month on the occasion of Chehlum. Hundreds of Pakistanis had been left stranded at the Baghdad airport due to flight issues and returned soon thanks to both sides facilitating their early return.

While discussing Israel’s offensive on Gaza, PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to hold Israel accountable for the “genocide” there.

Both leaders agreed to reinforce international efforts at the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian assistance to Palestine.

Invites American banks for key economic investment

The prime minister also met and invited American banks to invest in key sectors of infrastructure, energy, technology and agriculture, while discussing the government’s commitment to maintain a stable macro-economic environment to facilitate foreign investors.

PM Shehbaz met with a delegation of prominent Pakistani American bankers, including representatives from JP Morgan, Natixis Corps and Investments, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, Goldman Sachs, Citizens Bank, Lazard, and Audax Group.

He told the delegation about the government’s key initiatives to stabilise the economy and attract foreign investment such as broadening the tax base, enhancing the ease of doing business, and ongoing reforms in the state-owned enterprises.

The premier emphasised the establishment of a Sustainable Finance Framework, which he said would allow the government to carry out a green sustainability bond issuance in international capital markets.

The delegation praised the government’s policies that helped achieve macroeconomic stability and expressed interest in cooperating with the government for the development of the manufacturing sector, especially small and medium-sized enterprises to help bolster exports.

High-level meetups

Since arriving in New York on Tuesday for a five-day visit, PM Shehbaz has attended several high-level meetings and met with leaders of various countries on the sidelines of the UNGA.

So far, various countries’ heads that he has met with include Bangladesh’s Yunus; Kuwait’s crown prince; presidents of Palestine, Iran, Turkiye, Maldives; and prime ministers of Britain, Iraq, and Nepal.

Other interactions include meetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, where the premier discussed global and regional issues, as well as with Bill Gates, where he emphasised Pakistan’s resolve to eradicate polio.

In his meetings with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President Ajay Banga, PM Shehbaz discussed financing for climate change.