ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat at the United Nations on Wednesday condemned Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights and called for the restoration of Syrian territorial integrity alongside the establishment of an inclusive government structure.
Ambassador Munir Akram delivered his remarks during a Security Council briefing on Syria’s political and humanitarian situation. Pakistan, which began its two-year term as a non-permanent council member this month, has pledged to uphold the UN Charter and promote just resolutions to global conflicts.
The Security Council briefing follows the downfall of the former Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime after a swift offensive was launched by opposition forces led by the religio-political group Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).
The rebels quickly seized key cities, including Aleppo, Hama, Homs and Damascus, forcing Assad to flee to Russia, where he was granted asylum. While Damascus airport has resumed international flights to facilitate exiles’ return, Syria remains burdened by significant economic, political and security challenges.
“Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be restored,” the Pakistani diplomat told the council. “Israel’s occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights is illegal and ‘null and void’ as declared by Security Council ... The Council must demand Israel’s full withdrawal.”
Calling Syria a “fraternal country,” Akram welcomed positive statements from the interim administration but stressed the need for their practical implementation.
“Syria is at an important juncture in its history,” he noted. “The recent political developments offer the opportunity to restore normalcy, stability and peace in Syria. Yet this will depend on ensuring a peaceful transition to a new governance structure which is inclusive and stable and ensures Syria’s unity and territorial integrity.”
He also urged vigilance against the “danger of terrorism” emanating from Syria, citing concerns over the presence of foreign fighters and the potential resurgence of Al-Qaeda and Daesh.
“The antecedents of some of the groups, and the reported presence of foreign fighters, dictates caution,” Akram said.
Emphasizing the need to address Syria’s dire humanitarian crisis, thee Pakistani diplomat highlighted that over 70 percent of the population requires aid, with more than one million displaced in recent weeks.
He called for full funding of the UN Humanitarian Response Plan and support for the safe repatriation of Syrian refugees, including those in Turkiye.
He further appealed for international assistance in Syria’s reconstruction, urging collaboration with the new administration to rebuild institutions and stabilize the country.
“The role of the United Nations – especially the Security Council and the Secretary-General – will be indispensable to ensure effective action on all aspects of the challenges confronting Syria,” Akram said.

KARACHI: Saudi Arabia’s low fare airline, ‘Flyadeal’ is all set to launch its operations in Pakistan from next month, a Pakistani civil aviation officer confirmed this week, saying that it would offer cheaper fares to customers. 

Flyadeal is a Saudi low-cost airline headquartered at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. It is a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, Saudia, that commenced operations on Sept. 23, 2017. Initially, it served domestic destinations within the Kingdom. On Jun. 10, 2022, the airline expanded its network by launching flights from Dammam to Cairo.

The airline’s move to expand its operations to Pakistan takes place as Saudi Arabia seeks to boost its tourism sector under the Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to attract over 150 million domestic and international tourists annually to the Kingdom by the end of the decade. 

“It will increase market competition by offering better facilities and more affordable tickets,” Air Commodore (retired) Shahid Qadir, director of security of Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) told Arab News on Wednesday. He confirmed Pakistan had granted permission to the Saudi airline to conduct operations in the country.

Flyadeal’s fleet consists of Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline, which will initially operate two weekly flights to Karachi each from Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Jeddah cities, has hinted at plans to expand its network to include more Pakistani cities in future.

“Our new Karachi flights serving Jeddah and Riyadh are a stepping stone for further planned expansion in Pakistan,” Steven Greenway, Flyadeal’s chief executive officer, was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) in December.

Pakistanis constitute the second-largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia, with an estimated population exceeding 2.5 million. Saudi Arabia remains the primary source of remittances for Pakistan. Furthermore, Pakistan is among the leading nations in terms of the number of pilgrims visiting the Kingdom for Islamic pilgrimages Umrah and Hajj.

Qadir said Flyadeal will become the third Saudi origin airline to conduct operations in Pakistan. The Kingdom’s national flag career, Saudia and Flynas, a private Saudi low-cost airline, are already conducting operations in Pakistan.

The Pakistani official said Flyadeal’s entry into the Pakistani market is expected to enhance travel options for passengers.

“Thousands of Pakistani passengers will greatly benefit from it,” he said.

Flyadeal’s first flight will depart from Riyadh on Feb. 1 and return from Karachi on the same day. The second flight will fly from Jeddah on Feb. 3 and return the same day.