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ISLAMABAD: Pakistani deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, will call for full implementation of Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza at a meeting of Arab-Islamic foreign ministers in Istanbul on Monday, the Pakistani foreign ministry said.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan this week said that the Istanbul meeting would discuss the US peace plan for Gaza and “what we can achieve together in the next stage.”

Ministers from Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, �������� and the UAE, which met President Donald Trump on Sept. 23, have all been invited to the meeting.

On the invitation of the Turkish foreign minister, Dar will undertake a one-day visit to Istanbul on Monday to attend the coordination meeting of the Arab-Islamic FMs.

“Pakistan will emphasize the need for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the complete Israeli withdrawal from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially Gaza, as well as the provision of unfettered humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians and the reconstruction of Gaza,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.

“Pakistan will also reiterate the need for collective efforts aimed at achieving an independent, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.”

Turkish FM Fidan said on Friday there were a number of issues that needed to be addressed at the meeting.

“What are the obstacles to its (ceasefire) implementation? What are the challenges to be faced? What are the next steps? What will we be discussing with our Western friends? And what support is there for the ongoing talks with the United States?” he said.

Fidan accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “looking for a pretext to violate the ceasefire [in Gaza] and relaunch the genocide under the eyes of the whole world.”

The statement came after Israel launched strikes on Gaza and killed several people this week in the latest test of the fragile ceasefire deal brokered by President Trump.

The US-backed ceasefire agreement went into effect on October 10, halting two years of war that was triggered by deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and that has devastated the narrow coastal strip.

Pakistan reassured its support for all efforts to restore peace in Gaza.

“Pakistan has been, and will continue to be, committed to efforts to restore peace, justice, and dignity to the Palestinian people, as well as to ensure the realization of their right to self-determination,” its foreign ministry added.
 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday vowed his government remains committed to ensuring freedom of press and protection to journalists across the country, his office said in a statement. 

Sharif’s remarks came as the world marks the ‘International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists,’ a United Nations-recognized day observed annually on Nov. 2 each year. 

Pakistan is frequently cited among countries considered dangerous for journalists worldwide. According to a recent annual report by the Freedom Network, a Pakistan-based media rights and civil liberties organization, “violations” against journalists in Pakistan jumped nearly 60 percent over the past year. 

In a message shared by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Sharif paid tribute to journalists who endured hardship while performing their duties and expressed solidarity with families of the ones who had passed away. 

“The Government of Pakistan is firmly committed to safeguarding press freedom and ensuring a safe environment for journalists,” Sharif said. 

“We will take all necessary measures to enable effective investigation of crimes against journalists, ensure justice, and hold perpetrators accountable under the law.

The report by Freedom Network documented at least 142 cases of violations against journalists and media professionals in Pakistan between November 2024 and September 2025, a nearly 60 percent rise from the previous year. 

In the watchdog’s framework, “violations” include physical assaults, legal cases, harassment and censorship against journalists and media workers, covering both physical and non-physical threats to press freedom.

Sharif described acts of violence, intimidation or retaliation against journalists in the course of their professional duties as “attacks on freedom of expression.”

He called on the international community, media organizations and the civil society to play their role in protecting journalists worldwide. 

“A free press is the guarantee of a strong, transparent and democratic Pakistan,” he said. 

The situation for journalists and media workers remains alarming not only in Pakistan but worldwide as well. 

According to the UN, 162 journalists have been killed in the line of duty from 2023-2024 while 85 percent of cases of journalists’ killings since 2006 are still unresolved or abandoned.

According to UN, since 1993, more than 1,700 journalists have been killed for reporting the news and bringing information to the public. In nine out of ten cases the killers go unpunished, according to the UNESCO observatory of killed journalists.