- JI chief calls upon Muslims to unite against Israeli aggression in Gaza; condemns UN’s role of being ‘silent spectator’
- Says Pak Army should protect other Islamic societies as Pakistan was built on Islamic ideology
Holding Gaza Million March in Karachi on Sunday to protest against Israeli attacks in Gaza and to express solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq called upon the Muslim ummah, especially Pak Army chief, to stand up to the Israeli aggression and support Palestinians without fear of United States.
A large number of JI workers, leaders and supporters, including women and children, participated in the march staged on Shahrah-e-Faisal from Baloch Colony to FTC Building. Some leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other parties also joined the march.
The participants, carrying placards and banners, chanted pro-Hamas slogans and condemned Israeli attacks against the Palestinians.
He said that many politicians were of the opinion that people would hesitate to participate in Gaza Million March because two sit-ins are being staged in Islamabad but the presence of an uncountable number of people in the rally “is an open expression of the people’s true concerns”.
Addressing the participants, JI Ameer Sirajul Haq condemned the United Nations and world communities’ silent role over the issue and asked the Muslim world to play its due role for helping the Palestinians.
While praising Hamas resistance against the Israeli massacre, Haq said that the silence of Islamic countries was questionable as they have the world’s biggest oil reserves, resources and armies.
“I have written letters to the Saudi king, Iranian government and also met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, urging them to play their role for helping Palestinians.”
Haq appealed to Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif that the Pak Army should play a role of “guardian” for the protection of other Islamic societies as Pakistan was built on an Islamic ideology.
Former MNA and PPP leader Abdul Qadir Patel lauded JI’s march and called on Islamic countries to hold a conference of Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC). He urged politicians to be more concerned about the “real issues of internally displaced persons, Operation Zarb-e-Azb and the Gaza issue”.
The PP leader said that there would no compromise on democracy and Constitution.
PPP stalwart and National Assembly Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah urged the governing party to hold OIC conference in wake of the Gaza issue. He said that Pakistan was the first country to recognise Palestinian Liberation Organisation in 1974.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Sindh Leader Nihal Hashmi said the issue of Gaza is a matter of the entire Muslim ummah and stressed for an early solution to the Israeli aggression in Gaza.
Speaking on the occasion, JI former ameer Munawar Hassan expressed regret that the blood of Muslims was shed routinely despite the presence of 56 Islamic states which are rich in natural resources and atomic power. He expressed concern over the silence of the Muslim world over Gaza Issue.
While receiving Rs 500,000 cheque for Gaza Fund from JI Student Wing, Haq said that JI had already sent a fund of Rs 50 million, convoy of paramedics and six ambulances for the people of Gaza.
He said that JI wants electoral reforms and transparency in the electoral process and termed the election in Karachi as a plunder of public mandate. He said that Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan believe in the supremacy of Constitution and ultimate solution would surface soon. At the end of protest, US and Israeli flags were set on fire by the charged crowd.