ISLAMABAD, Jan 11: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) here on Sunday staged a protest demonstration against the Israeli atrocities in Gaza that have killed more than 800 innocent Palestinians.

Chief of the JI Qazi Hussain Ahmad also announced to hold a ‘million march’ in Karachi on January 18 and a country-wide tour against Israeli aggression. He asked all Muslim countries to unite and declare Jehad (holy war) against Israeli aggression.

The JI leader criticised President Asif Ali Zardari for awarding medals on the US authorities “for their drone attacks on the Tribal Areas and complicity with Israel to carry out aggression in Gaza”. “One award was conferred in return for the bombing in the Fata and the other for supporting Israeli aggression in Gaza,” he added.

Conferring of the awards on US officials is a disgrace to the country and its people and tantamount to sprinkling salt on the wounds of Palestinians, he said.

The JI amir also invited all the religio-political parties of the country to unite on a single platform against the prevailing tensions on the eastern and western borders. He appealed to the people to boycott American and western products.

He said innocent people of Palestine were being mercilessly killed but the US-led Israeli supporters were watching the slaughter like a silent spectator. American backing for Israeli aggression and double standards of the UN have exposed the nefarious designs of the anti-Muslims forces, he said. Only lip service is extended and hollow promises are made, he regretted.

The JI chief came hard on the Muslim rulers who, he said, were being patronised by the rulers of the US and other western countries. He called them the enemy of Muslim Ummah and agents of the enemies and asked the masses to come out on roads and streets against these rulers.

Their silence on the atrocities against Palestinians has exposed their slave-like mind, he remarked. He said resources of the Muslim countries were being used for American interests.

The Jamaat-i-Islami chief said liberation of Palestine was the collective responsibility of all Muslims and asked them to unite to defeat the enemy’s designs.

He also claimed that he had made contacts with some important people who, he said, had agreed to unite and launch a joint struggle against the enemies of the Muslim Ummah.

The participants of the rally included a large number of women and children. They were waving banners and placards against Israel.