DID Press: Senior leaders of Pakistan’s opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Yasmin Rashid, currently imprisoned at Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, have called for an urgent national conference of all political parties to build a consensus on the escalating crises in Gaza and the Iran-US tensions.
In their statement, the PTI leaders warned that failure by Tehran and Washington to reach an agreement within ten days could push the region toward large-scale conflict, with severe repercussions for Pakistan.
They criticized a recent Washington meeting attended by Pakistan’s Prime Minister as “unfair,” questioning how Israel could be part of a “peace delegation” while Palestinians were excluded. The leaders also highlighted ongoing Israeli attacks, noting that despite declared ceasefires, over 600 additional Palestinians have been killed, and reconstruction efforts and humanitarian aid are being blocked by conditions such as Hamas disarmament.
The statement censured Pakistan’s parliament for its silence on the matter, emphasizing that the lack of serious discussion makes a national conference even more urgent.
According to United Nations reports, in the past 12 months alone, 463 Palestinians, including 157 children, have died of hunger in Gaza.