Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) organised a rally to mark Youm Al-Quds on Friday. Hundreds of protesters, including religious scholars of various schools of thought denounced the Israeli aggression in Palestine. The rally started from G/6-2 imambargah and ended in front of the Parliament House. The protesters held placards and chanted slogans against the US and Israel for “damaging the sanctity of Jerusalem”.
Al-Quds or Jerusalem Day was established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in a sermon in which he called upon Muslims throughout the world to “take up arms” and to mobilise themselves for an “international revolt” against the US and other “enemies of Islam.” Representative of Jamaat-e-Mashaikh Ayaz Zaheer Hashmi said the alliance of all Muslim sects for the freedom of Al-Quds was a great threat to the US and Israel. He said the lack of commitment among the Muslim countries was the main reason behind the “backwardness” of Muslims.
“We can get rid of America and Israel by creating harmony among all the Muslim countries,” he added. Zaheer said the Palestinians were facing Israeli atrocities while the international human rights organisations were playing the role of a silent spectator. Mufti Mustafa Mustafai said Israel was the biggest threat to Islam because it had captured the Muslims’ holy places. He said “anti-Islamic forces” had deprived Muslims of their holy places whereas the Muslims were reluctant to join hands for the freedom of Kashmir and Palestine.
MWM Deputy Convener Ameen Shaheedi said the occupation of Quds was the issue of all the Muslims and not of any sect or nation. He said it was a challenge for the Muslims to take it back from Israelis. The protesters criticised the political and religious parties of the country saying that their leaders only raised slogans against the atrocities on Muslims, but did not do anything tangible to express solidarity with the Palestinians.
