KARACHI: Condemning the atrocities of Israel in Gaza, a multi-party conference organised by the Jamaat-i-Islami on Monday appealed to the people to participate in Sumaximum number in the ‘Gaza million-man march’ on Aug 17 to show solidarity with the Palestinians.

The conference was presided over by JI leader and former Karachi nazim Niamatullah Khan and attended by representatives of several political and religious parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

Speaking on the occasion, Niamatullah Khan said the conference proved that the entire nation and Ummah was united over the issue of Palestine. “Everyone wants lasting peace in Gaza and stopping of Israeli aggression,” he added.

He said that a massive gathering would be witnessed on Aug 17 at Sharea Faisal and one million people would come out of their homes to express solidarity with the people of Gaza.

PML-N leader Saleem Zia said that the government was always playing its role in highlighting the Palestine issue.

He said all the Islamic countries which had recognised Isreal should immediately withdraw their envoys from there.

Karachi JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehnam said that the fight of good and evil was being continued in Palestine and the humanity of the entire world was raising its voice for the people of Gaza.

However, the silence of the Muslim world and its rulers raised many questions in the minds of the people, he added.

He termed Gaza a major world issue and demanded its immediate early resolution.

PPP leader Abdul Qadir Patel said that Israel broke all norms of humanity by conducting heavy bombardment on residential areas of Gaza.

He announced that his party would support the JI in respect of the Gaza million-man march.

Aftab Jahangir of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf said that the recent situation of Gaza proved that the United Nations did nothing for the oppressed people of the world.

Abbas Kumeili said that the Gaza issue must be resolved immediately. He lauded the efforts of the JI for holding the march on this burning issue.

Syed Zia Abbas of the National Peoples Party lauded the efforts of JI chief Siraj-ul-Haq and his party for raising their voice on the Gaza issue.

Dr Siddiq Rathore of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan said that practical steps should be taken for redressal of the Gaza issue, and the OIC and UN should play their due role in this regard.

Earlier, a resolution condemning the Israeli aggression on the people of Gaza was passed unanimously by the participants.

The APC was held at the Idara Noor-i-Haq. Other speakers includes Allama Qazi Ahmed Noorani, Matloob Awan of the Sunni Tehreek, Mehfooz Yar Khan of the Awami Muslim League, Sardar Hera Singh of Hindu community, Amjad Farooq, Advocate Younus Sohan Khan Advocate, Tooba Zubair of the Dua Foundation, Mirza Yousuf Hussain of the Shia Action Committee, Allama Ali Karar Naqvi and JI leader Muslim Pervez.

Published in Dawn, August 12th , 2014