Gaza protesters, police clash near red-zone

JI, Safe Gaza Movement accuse ‘pro-Israel govt’ of inaction amid a genocide

ISLAMABAD:

Protestors belonging to the JI and Gaza Bachao Tehreek—Save Gaza Movement—on Sunday clashed with police as the former tried to enter Islamabad’s red-zone to protest against the government’s inaction amid a brutal genocide of beleaguered Palestinians in Gaza.

Former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan led the protest demonstration on behalf of the JI. The Save Gaza Movement was represented by its central leader Humera Tayyaba.

Upon the gathering of demonstrators, the police closed the gate leading to D-Chowk to prevent them from moving towards the Parliament House.

Mushtaq Ahmad Khan held negotiations with the Federal Police SSP Abdul Aleem and requested permission to proceed towards the red-zone.

However, the police officers refused to grant permission for the demonstrators to enter the red-zone, which led to a confrontation between the protesters and the police.

According to the JI spokesperson, the police baton-charged peaceful protesters, resulting in injuries to some JI workers. As a result, the protesters also pelted stones at the police.

The protestors later staged a six-hour long sit-in near D-Chowk and broke their fast on the street. They announced staging a similar sit-in at the same place also next Sunday.

Addressing the protesters on this occasion, Save Gaza Movement’s Humera Tayyaba said that this campaign was initiated to put pressure on Israel at the global level.

She said countries including the United States, the UK and some countries in the Middle East are supporting this genocide of the people of Gaza at the hands of Israel.

“We protested in seven cities, but the Pakistan government turned a deaf ear to us. It is shameful that today we have been intimidated and threatened. We will either stage a sit-in here or go to jail,” she said.
JI’s Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said their movement has a specific agenda, which is solely to save Gaza. He said the people of Gaza are breaking their fasts on the debris of their demolished houses but this “pro-Israel” government is trying to stop the protestors.

“We are ready to go to jail. We will go to D-Chowk in any case. The police should be immediately removed,” he said.

The JI leader claimed that the protest was in accordance with the resolutions passed in parliament against Israeli atrocities in Gaza. He said the government first passes a resolution but when people take to the streets to implement that resolution it resorts to intimidation.

Lambasting the prominent leaders of the Muslim world including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for their alleged inaction, he asked if these leaders are awaiting the death of the entire Gaza population.
He urged the army chief to mobilize the army to protect Palestinians. He said Pakistan should immediately play its role in the ceasefire.

“File a case against Israel's crimes in the International Court of Justice, initiate hearings in the UN Security Council against Israel's war crimes, and issue a demarche to the US ambassador.

“I am saddened that today the police have surrounded us to arrest us. We have come here for the sake of innocent children, but the government is putting up obstacles. We condemn and will continue to condemn the actions of Israel, America, and Europe,” he said.Meanwhile, speaking to the media in Jaranwala, JI chief Sirajul Haq asserted that those who reach assemblies by stealing the public mandate will soon be forced to return to their homes. Haq said the back-breaking inflation has made life difficult for the people.