Pakistan defends recalled Palestinian ambassador
Ministry insists it respects Abu Ali’s right to attend rally where he shared a stage with suspected Mumbai attacks mastermind and JuD chief Saeed
ISLAMABAD: Hours after Palestine recalled its ambassador to Islamabad, Pakistan issued a formal statement in defense of the envoy.
The Palestinian Authority recalled Walid Abu Ali after India expressed concern over his presence at a Rawalpindi rally alongside Jamaat-ud–Dawa ( JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.
Friday’s rally was organized by the Defense of Pakistan Council (DPC) to protest US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The DPC is an alliance of about 40 political and religious groups, including JuD.
“The people and government of Pakistan respect the Palestinian ambassador's active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement.
On Saeed’s presence at the rally, the statement added that his designation on the United Nations proscribed terrorists list does not mean he cannot exercise his right to free speech.
“This public rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Hafiz Saeed. Contrary to the impression being created, UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression,” the MoFA said.
“Pakistan’s unambiguous and steadfast support to the Palestinian cause was well known. Pakistan has always supported the two-state solution, with East Jerusalem the capital of the Palestinian state. Pakistan’s unequivocal position was demonstrated in the rejection of the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel.”
Abu Ali addressed the rally along with other speakers and shared the stage with Saeed, with pictures of them together later circulating on social media — to the annoyance of New Delhi.
India formally conveyed its anger and concerns to the Palestinian ambassador in New Delhi and to the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ramallah.
The public rally in Rawalpindi was one of many such meetings attended by the Palestinian envoy in recent weeks.
“The Palestinian side conveyed deep regrets over the incident and assured the government of India that they are taking serious cognizance of their ambassador’s presence,” a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs said.
A Palestinian statement added: “On the basis of the principled and firm Palestinian position, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates considered the participation of our ambassador in Pakistan in a mass rally in solidarity with Jerusalem, held in Rawalpindi on Friday and in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism, is an unintended mistake, but not justified.
“Accordingly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, under the direct instructions of the president of the state of Palestine, decided to recall the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan immediately.”
Saeed is wanted by the United States, which has offered a $10 million reward for his arrest. India and the US also blame him for the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 166 people.
The JuD chief denies involvement in the Mumbai attacks and Pakistan maintains that India has not shared enough evidence to arrest him.