Leaders from major political parties in Sindh set aside their differences on Wednesday and gathered outside the Karachi Press Club in a solidarity rally organised by the PPP Karachi Division to denounce Indian strikes on Pakistan and express support for the country's armed forces.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, addressing the large crowd, condemned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him as "an international terrorist" and warning that his provocative actions have imperiled regional peace.
"Today, all political parties have set aside their differences to stand on one platform. This sends a clear message to India: the entire Pakistani nation stands united with its army," he added. Shah said Pakistan would not hesitate to take any measure necessary to defend its sovereignty.
CM Shah also criticised the swift attribution of the Pahalgam incident to Pakistan, stating, "Within 10 minutes of the incident, fingers were pointed at us. We do not support terrorism and are open to any impartial inquiry."
He added that India responded with a "cowardly" nighttime strike on six locations in Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties, which was met with a decisive retaliation by the Pakistan armed forces. "In a matter of hours, our forces shot down five Indian aircraft and a drone, forcing India to raise white flags," he claimed.
Prominent political figures who addressed the rally included PPP Sindh General Secretary Senator Waqar Mehdi, Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani, MQM's Iftikhar Alam, PML-Q Sindh President Niaz Khaskheli, PML-N's Vice President Ali Akbar Gujjar, ANP's Shahi Syed, Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi's Amir Munem Zafar, and MPA Sham Sunder.
Boxers Shaheer Afridi and Usman, who recently vanquished their Indian opponents, also participated and addressed the crowd.
Saeed Ghani hailed the rally as a historic moment of national unity, saying that even communities from minority faiths had turned out in large numbers to show solidarity. . He added that while the PTI could not attend due to a prior commitment, they had expressed support for the cause.
PML-Q's Niaz Khaskheli praised the Pakistan Army's rapid and effective response. PML-N's Ali Akbar Gujjar echoed that PPP's initiative had symbolically brought the nation together in the face of aggression.
MQM's Iftikhar Alam stressed the unity of purpose among the political leadership, asserting that the rally had sent a clear message to Modi: "The Pakistani nation is more united and resilient than ever before."
JI Munem Zafar called for a national multiparty conference to further demonstrate unity. ANP leader Shahi Syed warned that India's aggressive posture could destabilise the region and bring hardship to its own population.
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