LAHORE, Oct 13 (NNI): Hundreds of Pakistanis rallied across the country after Friday prayers, calling for an end to Israel’s reign of tyranny against the Palestinians, including the ongoing bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip.
People from all walks of life participated in these nationwide rallies to express solidarity with the Palestinians. Charged protesters set Israeli flags ablaze and chanted anti-Israel slogans while waving Palestinian national flags.
Israel on Friday called for over a million civilians in the northern part of the Gaza Strip to relocate to the south within 24 hours, amid the buildup of tanks for an anticipated ground assault, raising concerns among the local Palestinian population, which numbers around 2.3 million.
In Lahore, Sirajul Haq, the chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), led a massive Palestine solidarity rally.
“Israel is an illegal occupant of Palestinian land and has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent individuals. Countless Palestinians have been displaced and are currently residing in refugee camps across various countries, all due to the relentless aggression of the Jewish forces. For decades, Palestinians have endured the atrocities inflicted by the occupying forces, and it was only four decades ago that they began their struggle, following the prolonged silence of Muslim leaders on this issue,” he said while addressing the Palestine Solidarity March at Mall Road on Friday.
He said the caretaker prime minister is not authorized to make statements contradicting the country’s official policy on the Palestine issue. He demanded that the caretaker PM retract his stance on the two-state solution for the Palestine issue. He also questioned the lack of an OIC session convened thus far to address the escalating situation in Gaza, urging the caretaker government to host meetings with all political parties concerning the crisis.
The rallies in Lahore and other cities, organized in response to the appeal of the JI Emir after Friday prayers, saw the participation of women and children.
Haq asserted that the Palestinians had also been unjustly labeled as terrorists when they were facing Israeli tanks armed only with stones. He noted that Hamas did not violate human rights during their attack in Israel, according to accounts from Jewish women and families who were witnesses to the events.
He emphasized the unity of the Ummah in support of the Palestinians and stressed that if the rulers of the Islamic world were to take a resolute stance, rather than looking to the US or remaining passive, Masjid Aqsa and Palestine would have gained independence by now.
The JI chief expressed disappointment that while European countries and the US openly support the Israeli acts of killing innocent people, the Muslim rulers remain silent spectators. He also stated that the Pakistani ruling elite would never take a bold stance for Palestine and Kashmir. Therefore, he appealed to the people to elect courageous and dedicated leaders who would steer the country in the right direction and champion the united cause of the Muslim Ummah. NNI
