ISLAMABAD – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Turkiye on Saturday to attend an extraordinary meeting of the D-8 Council of Foreign Ministers, aimed at presenting a united front against Israel’s war on Gaza.
Established in 1997, the Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation, known as D-8, includes Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkiye. The organization seeks to enhance member states’ positions in the global economy, diversify trade relations, improve living standards, and boost participation in international decision-making.
Upon his arrival in Istanbul, Deputy PM Dar was welcomed by Istanbul’s Deputy Governor Mustafa Asim Alkan and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkiye Yousaf Junaid, according to Radio Pakistan.
“The D-8 Foreign Ministers will discuss the international community’s shared responsibility to achieve an urgent and unconditional ceasefire and end the inhumane and unjustified war on the people of Gaza,” the report stated.
The conflict in Gaza escalated following Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, which resulted in over 1,100 deaths, a response to the worsening conditions of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. Israel’s retaliatory offensive, deemed disproportionate by many, has led to the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The D-8 member countries are expected to issue a strong joint declaration on the developments in Gaza, according to Radio Pakistan. Deputy PM Dar will present Pakistan’s stance at the meeting.
Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel and advocates for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Recently, Pakistan has consistently raised the issue of Israel’s actions in Gaza at the United Nations, urging the world to halt Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territory.
