Pakistan

Countrywide protests against Israel

Express June 01, 2010

KARACHI: Protests were held across the country on Tuesday in order to condemn Israel’s attack on the Gaza-bound aid convoy, the “Freedom flotilla”.

Karachi Police detained several people protesting against Israeli aggression. The Imamia Student Organisation took out a rally which started from Zainab Market in Karachi. The rally’s destination was the US consulate, but the police managed to stop them at the Fawara Chowk. Police resorted to aerial shelling and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Several protesters were arrested while no causality was reported in the incident.

A large number of social activists gathered near the national press club in Islamabad to condemn the Israeli attack on the flotilla. A prominent activist Tahira Abdullah said, “We have gathered here... to condemn Israel’s barbaric act against peace activists”.

In Quetta, the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) took out a procession and held a demonstration in front of the Quetta Press Club. The rally was led by provincial president of the PKMAP, Usman Kakar. Protestors carrying placards and banners, chanted slogans against the US and Israel.

Meanwhile Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif has termed Israel’s attack on the flotilla “a shameful incident of state terrorism,” adding that this blatant strike should be condemned in unequivocal terms. In a statement issued in Lahore on Tuesday, Nawaz urged the international community to take measures in order to guard the world against the recurrence of such incidents.

Also, activists of political, social and religious organisations including journalists came out on the streets of Sukkur to show their disapproval of the Israeli action. More than 100 media personnel staged a protest demonstration in front of the Sukkur Press Club. The protest was led by president Sukkur Union of Journalists Jan Muhammad Mahar.

A rally was taken out by the Jamiat Ulema Pakistan as well in Sukkur. Local JUP leaders expressed their resentment over the Israeli attack on the ships carrying relief goods for the Palestinians.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2010.

COMMENTS (5)

yasser | 14 years ago | Reply Please pray for the palestinian people , as well as iraqi, afghani, pakistani, chechnian, kashmiri and all our brothers... for you who are saying forget palestinians and complain about your "fellow citizens".. you are the cause of the problem before the jews... you stick to your tribal and nationalistic ways just like the zionist scum want you to.. yes pakistanis should be angry and protest when palestinians die.. and ofcourse vice versa. Revive the Ummah, thats the only way any of us stand a chance.

ali | 14 years ago | Reply Last week 90 people were gunned down by terrorists in Lahore, while 9 people were killed by israeli's. Loss of life should be condemned, hwoever i am shocked to see such double standards by the people of Pakistan.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

cmsarwar | 14 years ago | Reply Many more of our own countrymen were killed in Model Town/Garhi Shahu episode,followed by the incident of Jinnah hospital But,it appears,we are more concerned about Palestinans than about the butchery of our own fellow citizens.I wish protests on a respectable and noticeable scale could take place all across the nation.But,perhaps,we are more of an internationally focussed nation and tend to overlook lesser domestic happenings.Perhaps,to us has been bestowed the honour of establishing and consolidating Millat-e-Islamia all across the Globe.Good luck Pakistan

pervaize | 14 years ago | Reply Israel is the root cause of all the problems in the world

A patriotic Pakistani | 14 years ago | Reply It is shameful that we in our country care more about the atrocities down around the world than atrocities done to minorities in Pakistan. 12 people died on Flotilla. The life lost was too precious and irreplacable. And the anger shown by our countrymen was well deserved. But I ask, why did these people who were protesting not take out rallies in support of the victims of the mascare of last friday as well? Over 80 lost their lives on Friday and no one cared to take out a procession in their support!

Replying to X