Pakistan rallies in solidarity with Palestinians

PTI claims protesting supporters arrested in Lahore, Islamabad

Hundreds of Pakistanis on Friday took to the streets in several parts of the country to voice their protest against Israel’s siege and relentless bombing on the Gaza Strip, demanding an end to the oppression of the innocent Palestinian people.

Gaza is being bombed by the occupation forces after the resistance group Hamas launched a surprise offensive, breaching Israel’s defence last Saturday. Israel has put the strip — home to 2.3 million people — under siege while local authorities reported killings of more than 1,500 Palestinians.

It has vowed to annihilate Hamas but a ground invasion of Gaza poses serious risk with the armed resistance group holding scores of hostages.

After Israel’s military called for all civilians of Gaza City — more than one million people — to relocate south within 24 hours on Friday, the UN urged Tel Aviv to call off the order, warning of the “devastating humanitarian consequences.”

Israeli attacks on Gaza have prompted protests in Paris, New York, Jordan, Morocco, Iraq and Iran among others.

Read more: Israel calls on at least 1.1m Gazans to leave city within 24 hours

After Friday prayers, Pakistanis from all walks of life held rallies in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Punjab.

The demonstrators raised Palestinian flags and held posters that said ‘From land to the sea, Palestine will be free’ and ‘Stand in solidarity with Palestine’. They also burned Israeli flags.

Lahore

In Lahore, a huge rally was held at Mall Road by the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, with scores of women and children in attendance. The protesters carried a giant flag of Palestine.

Addressing the gathering, JI Emir Sirajul Haq criticised the US and European countries for supporting Israel in its oppression of Palestinians. He demanded that Muslim countries should come together for the Palestinian cause.

“Raising our voices for Palestinians is the responsibility of Muslims and a part of their faith,” he added.

On the other hand, the PTI claimed that the party members who had taken to the streets in Lahore were arrested by the police.

Karachi

Several protests were held in Karachi after Friday prayers to express solidarity with Palestinians.

People hold a flag as supporters of Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather during a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Baghdad, Iraq. PHOTO: Reuters

More than 200 supporters of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) gathered in the Kharadar area. They demanded that the atrocities being faced by the people of Gaza at the hands of Israel should immediately come to an end.

Separately, the JI held a solidarity walk from the Maripur Road till Bilawal House.

In Malir, the JUI-F supporters took to the streets, demanding Muslim world leaders to “break the chains of silence” and speak up for their brothers and sisters.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

Protest rallies were also held in the K-P’s Malakand and Hazara divisions against Israeli atrocities in Gaza.

The Karakoram Highway was blocked in Kohistan and a rally was staged against Israel’s atrocities in Gaza. The protesters demanded that the United Nations stop the genocide of Palestinians.

Protester Shahid Husain, 47, said the leaders of Muslim nations were failing to stand up for Palestinians.

“We took to the streets to make our rulers realise that they don’t need to be scared of the US and that the public wants them to be on the side of Palestine — not Israel and America,” he told AFP from Peshawar’s historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar.

Meanwhile, PTI supporters gathered in Kohat, Peshawar, Hangu and several other cities after the party decided to mark today as “Palestine Solidarity Day.”

Quetta

In Quetta, a rally was organised by the JUI-F, in which protesters condemned Israel’s “brutal oppression” of the Palestinian people and also burned Israeli flags.

The rally was led by JUI-F’s regional head Maulana Abdul Rehman, who renewed support for the people of Gaza.

Similar protests were held by the PML-N, PTI and other local political parties outside the Quetta Press Club. People also took to the streets in Zhob, Jaffarabad and Surab.

Islamabad

The MWM also held a rally in the capital city. The demonstrators held banners that said ‘No compromise on Gaza’ and ‘Stop genocide of Palestinians’.

A number of PTI protesters also took to the streets. However, the party claimed they were arrested by the police.

Also read: Human Rights Watch says Israel used white phosphorus in Gaza, Lebanon

Earlier, the PTI said it had sought permission from the Islamabad deputy commissioner to hold a public gathering in front of the National Press Club.

However, in a post on X yesterday, the PTI claimed that the local administration had refused to give the permission.

The same day, a party counsel had contended before the Peshawar High Court (PHC) that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government was not allowing the PTI to stage a demonstration in favour of the oppressed Palestinian citizens.