ISLAMABAD

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday met with the Palestinian Authority’s chief judge, Mahmoud al-Habash, in Islamabad and assured "full support" for the Palestinian people.

During the meeting, Sharif assured that he would continue to raise his voice with full force for the rights of the Palestinian people at every diplomatic forum, according to a statement issued by his office.

"He (Sharif) reaffirmed the unwavering support of the people of Pakistan to the Palestinian cause and assured the Palestinian side that Pakistan would continue to lend its full support for the brotherly people of Palestine, who have rendered enormous sacrifices and bravely faced Israeli brutal aggression," the statement said.

On his part, al-Habash also thanked Pakistan for its consistent and unflinching support, saying that Islamabad was a source of strength for them in this difficult time.

Earlier, Pakistan's top diplomat Ishaq Dar and al-Habash also met in the capital Islamabad on Friday.

During the meeting, Dar reiterated Islamabad's firm support for an independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous state of Palestine, based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, referring to Jerusalem.

"Reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and their just struggle for freedom, dignity & statehood," Dar said through the US social media company X, after the meeting.

The four-member delegation, led by al-Habash, arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday to attend the 50th International Seerat-un-Nabi Conference -- an annual religious gathering on the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad -- slated to be held on Saturday.

Dar also pledged continued support for the Palestinian people, calling for unhindered humanitarian aid, a permanent and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, as well as accountability for Israel.

"Firmly rejected Israeli aggression & war crimes: genocide, starvation, man-made famine, mass killings, settlements, annexations & forced displacement," he added.

Israel has so far killed at least 64,300 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.