Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suggested the formation of a task force on Monday to counter Israeli aggression and expansionism as an Arab-Islamic summit considered a draft resolution and response on a recent attack[1] on Qatar.
Leaders from around 50 states are attending the high-level moot[2], which is being held under the umbrella of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
PM Shehbaz said the attack on Doha was targeted by an “aggressor who violates international law seriously”. He said Pakistan condemned the attack, saying it clearly meant to undermine the peace efforts in the Middle East.
“This is a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Qatar and we express our solidarity with our brothers: the Qataris. The Israeli attack on Qatar is not apart from the other attacks, it is hegemonic ambition on part of Israel to control the whole region and the role of mediators is always considered to be sacred and they are the hope of peace.”
He said Qatar was trying to advance regional peace while the women and children of Gaza were suffering disaster. PM Shehbaz said the whole world was “watching a massacre” in Gaza and called on it to stop now.
The premier said Pakistan emphasised the importance of taking urgent steps to put an end to the war crimes in Gaza and to “establish a task force to take effective steps to stop Israeli expansion plans”. The prime minister called for Israel’s membership in the United Nations to be suspended and said other effective steps needed to be taken against the country.
PM Shehbaz said today’s meeting confirmed the common ideas and acts of the participants to condemn the Israeli attacks.
Qatar’s emir said that Israel had sought to derail Gaza talks by striking Hamas negotiators in his country last week, and that its premier dreamt of an Arab world under Israeli influence.
“Whoever works diligently and systematically to assassinate the party with whom he is negotiating, intends to thwart the negotiations … Negotiations, for them, are merely part of the war,” Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told Arab and Muslim leaders.
He also said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “dreams of turning the Arab region into an Israeli sphere of influence, and this is a dangerous illusion”.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that Israel’s current actions hindered any chances of new peace treaties in the Middle East.
In remarks aimed at Israel, he told the Arab-Islamic summit in Doha: “What is happening right now hinders the future of peace, threatens your security and the security of the peoples in the region and adds obstacles to chances for any new peace agreements and even aborts existing ones.”
PM Shehbaz met many leaders at the summit.
He also held a bilateral meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir present as well.
The two leaders exchanged views on the situation emerging after Israel’s aggression on Doha. The prime minister strongly condemned Israel’s action and termed it as a deliberate attempt by Israel to derail the Middle East peace efforts,“ said a statement.
PM Shehbaz said that the convening of the Arab-Islamic Summit had sent out an important message that “Muslims around the world spoke with one voice against Israel’s unlawful and reckless aggression”, which threatened regional peace and security.
The Saudi crown prince said that he looked forward to PM Shehbaz’s upcoming visit to Riyadh later this week, which would provide both sides with an important opportunity for a comprehensive exchange of views on bilateral as well as regional and global issues.
The statement said he also expressed his appreciation for the prime minister’s leadership and for Pakistan’s active diplomatic efforts, including at the UN Security Council and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, to express solidarity with Qatar at the critical juncture.
PM Shehbaz is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, according to PTV News. He was received by Qatar’s minister for culture, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani.
FM Dar is already in Doha and actively participated in a meeting of foreign ministers[3] on Sunday to craft the draft resolution that will be discussed during today’s summit, which has been co-sponsored by Pakistan.
PM Shehbaz has also undertook a one-day visit[4] to Doha on September 11, when he met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to denounce the Israeli attack and show solidarity with the Gulf state.
Today’s summit has been convened to rally support for Qatar following the Israeli attack targeting[5] Hamas leaders in the Gulf state on September 9. Five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer were killed[6] in the attack. The attack — widely condemned[7] by major world powers — was carried out while negotiations were underway for a ceasefire in Gaza, in which Qatar has been playing an instrumental role[8].
The summit will also discuss the “escalating developments in Palestine — following Israeli attempts to occupy Gaza, expand settlement activities in the occupied West Bank and forcibly displace the Palestinians“, according to an earlier Foreign Office (FO) statement[9].
Analysts said[10] the high-level moot is meant to send Israel a clear signal. Tel Aviv’s attack has prompted US-allied Gulf Arab states to close ranks, adding to strains in ties between the UAE and Israel, which normalised relations in 2020.
According to a Dawn report[11], diplomats said leaders at the summit may also weigh in on pushing Palestinian statehood[12] at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York.
Moreover, the United Nations Human Rights Council said today that it would host an urgent debate on Tuesday on Israel’s airstrike in Qatar.
The council said the debate would “discuss the recent military aggression carried out by the State of Israel against the State of Qatar on 9 September 2025’”.
Apart from PM Shehbaz, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani are also attending today’s moot in Qatar. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also participated.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas also arrived in Doha on Sunday, on the eve of the summit.
Pezeshkian today urged Muslim countries to cut ties with Israel. “It is possible that Islamic countries cut their ties with this fake regime and maintain unity and cohesion as much as possible,” Pezeshkian said before departing for Doha, adding that he hoped the summit would “reach a conclusion” on measures against Israel.
US President Donald Trump, who had dinner with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in New York on Friday, made careful remarks before today’s Arab gathering as Washington’s two powerful Middle Eastern allies face a worsening rift.
“Qatar has been a very great ally. Israel and everyone else, we have to be careful. When we attack people, we have to be careful,” Trump told reporters.
The US president initially rebuked Israel over the attack, saying he was “very unhappy” about it. However, yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said[13] it was “not going to change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis”.
Rubio met with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today to examine the aftermath of Tel Aviv’s military action against Qatar and its effects on efforts for a Gaza truce.
Dar seeks steps against Israel to safeguard global order
FM Dar met with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan today. The two leaders “strongly condemned Israel’s unprovoked and unjustified strikes on Qatar and other nations in the region”, the FO said on X.
“They reaffirmed unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, underlined the importance of the OIC and the Arab League in mobilising collective action of the Muslim Ummah, and welcomed the convening of the Arab-Islamic Summit.”
Dar yesterday also met with OIC Secretary General[14] Hissein Brahim Taha, Egypt’s FM[15] Dr Badr Abdelatty, Iran’s FM Abbas Araghchi, Malaysia’s FM Dato’ Seri Mohamad Hasan, Bangladesh’s[16] Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and Uzbekistan’s FM[17] Bakhtiyor Saidov.
Attending the ministerial meeting, the foreign minister called for urgent steps[18] against Israel to “safeguard the global order”.
During his speech, Dar highlighted that the frequency of meetings to discuss Israel’s activities in the region underlines “how Israel has become a persistent irritant and a danger to world peace and security”, according to a FO statement.
“Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the illegal and unprovoked Israeli aggression against the brotherly State of Qatar,” Dar was quoted as saying.
The foreign minister listed the following “urgent steps” that need to be taken:
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Israel must be held accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity. It should not be allowed to get away with attacking Islamic countries and killing people with impunity.
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Creation of an Arab-Islamic task force to monitor the Israeli designs in the region and adopt effective deterrent and offensive measures in a synchronised manner to ward off Israeli expansionist designs.
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Pursue the suspension of Israel’s membership in the United Nations. Following up on this step would be a clear message on seriousness by the ummah.
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Member states should actively consider implementing additional punitive measures against Israel, as a means to reinforce accountability and deter further violations of international law.
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The UN Security Council must urgently demand [from] Israel, under Chapter VII of the UN Charter … an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire, release of hostages and exchange of Palestinian prisoners.
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Unfettered, sustained and secure humanitarian access to all civilians in need, and the protection of aid workers, medical teams and UN personnel in the [Occupied Palestinian Territories].
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The revival of a genuine and time-bound political process to achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting two-state solution in accordance with international law and relevant UN and OIC resolutions.
More to follow
Additional input from AFP
References
- ^ recent attack (www.dawn.com)
- ^ high-level moot (www.dawn.com)
- ^ meeting of foreign ministers (www.dawn.com)
- ^ one-day visit (www.dawn.com)
- ^ targeting (www.dawn.com)
- ^ killed (www.dawn.com)
- ^ widely condemned (www.dawn.com)
- ^ instrumental role (www.dawn.com)
- ^ statement (www.dawn.com)
- ^ said (www.dawn.com)
- ^ According to a Dawn report (www.dawn.com)
- ^ Palestinian statehood (www.dawn.com)
- ^ Marco Rubio said (www.dawn.com)
- ^ OIC Secretary General (x.com)
- ^ Egypt’s FM (www.dawn.com)
- ^ Bangladesh’s (x.com)
- ^ Uzbekistan’s FM (x.com)
- ^ called for urgent steps (www.dawn.com)