TEHRAN— During a weekly press briefing, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra, highlighted the critical importance of the regional contact group meeting on Afghanistan. 

Zahra described the summit as a pivotal mechanism for fostering cooperation among Afghanistan’s neighboring countries to ensure peace, security, and stability in the region.

She confirmed Pakistan's active participation in the upcoming Tehran quadrilateral meeting, with the Special Representative on Afghanistan, Ambassador Asif Ali Khan Durrani, set to attend. She emphasized that the summit enhances regional collaboration and unity regarding Afghanistan's future.

"The negotiations at the summit aim to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a hub for terrorist activities while simultaneously supporting the country's efforts towards economic improvement and the welfare of its people," Zahra stated.

Additionally, Seyyed Rasoul Mousavi, an aide to Iran's foreign minister and director-general of the Foreign Ministry's West Asia Department, announced on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Tehran will host the regional contact group meeting on Afghanistan this Saturday. Representatives from Iran, Pakistan, China, and Russia will convene to discuss Afghanistan's future.

=======Condemnation of Israeli war in Gaza

In a related matter, Zahra condemned the recent Israeli attack on a UNRWA school in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of more than 40 Palestinian civilians, including children. 

The school, located in the Nuseirat refugee camp, was sheltering displaced individuals when it was struck by the Israeli forces.

Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), criticized the attack on X, highlighting that the location of the school had been shared with the Israeli army and other conflict parties. Lazzarini labeled the targeting of UN facilities as a blatant disregard for International Humanitarian Law.

B'Tselem, a rights group, also condemned the strike, calling it a "suspected war crime." Zahra expressed deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, characterizing the aggression as a continuation of widespread human rights violations by Israeli forces. She called for an unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and urged Israel's supporters to halt the regime's aggression.

"Pakistan seeks an unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and urges the international community to stop the Israeli occupation forces' ongoing aggression," Zahra declared in the end.