Resolution of Palestinian issue essential for global peace: Maleeha Lodhi

NEW YORK: Maleeha Lodhi Pakistan’s Envoy to the United Nations stated here today that the resolution of the Palestinian dispute was an ultimate pre-condition for regional as well as global peace.

“A viable, independent and the contiguous State of Palestine on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, is the only sustainable guarantee for enduring peace in the Middle East”, she stressed.

“As a first step, the illegal and oppressive siege of Gaza by Israel must be lifted”, she insisted.

She further held: “Creating alternate ‘facts on the ground’ cannot change historic realities or neutralize the legal rights of people living under foreign occupation, in Palestine, and elsewhere”.

Pointing towards UN Secretary General’s statement ‘We are a world in pieces. We need to be a world at peace’ she maintained: “The ideal of world peace should begin from the Middle East”.

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.