Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Thursday announced that given the shocking situation in Palestine, the government had decided not to hold any event to celebrate the New Year.
In a special televised message, he urged the general public to follow the government and not hold any New Year celebrations to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Gaza and observe the beginning of the new year with simplicity.
PM Kakar said the entire Pakistani nation and the Muslim Ummah were deeply saddened by the genocide of the oppressed Palestinians, especially the massacre of innocent children in Gaza and the West Bank.
"Since October 7, 2023, more than 21,000 innocent Palestinians have been martyred by the brutal Israeli forces, including a large number of innocent children - around 9,000," the prime minister remarked.
He said to stop the Israeli bloodshed, Pakistan has raised its voice for the oppressed Palestinians at every world forum, and it would always do so in the future as well.
PM Kakar pointed out that Pakistan had sent two consignments comprising relief goods for the Palestinian people, while a third will be dispatched soon.
Likewise, he said, the government was in close contact with both Egypt and Jordan, for the provision of timely relief to the Palestinians, besides evacuation of the injured from Gaza and their treatment.
The prime minister prayed the New Year may dawn with the message of peace, prosperity and harmony for Pakistan and the rest of the world.