PESHAWAR: Scores of religious groups and political parties on Friday took out protest rallies and held demonstrations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to condemn US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and asked for immediate withdrawal of the decision.

The participants set on fire flags of Israel and US and effigy of Mr Trump. They also shouted slogans against the US president and expressed the resolve to continue their protest rallies to show solidarity with the people of Palestine for protection of Al-Quds.

Jamaat-i-Islami workers took out a rally from Masjid Mahabat Khan, Peshawar, which turned into a public rally at Chowk Yadgar. JI provincial chief Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, its Peshawar president Sabir Hussain Awan and Masjid Mahabat Khan Mohtamim Mohammad Tayyab Qureshi condemned the US decision.

They warned that Muslims would offer sacrifices of lives, but they would not allow anyone to capture Al-Quds. They urged Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to end diplomatic ties with US and boycott its products.

Mr Mushtaq said that the Muslims were ready to sacrifice their lives for protection of Al-Quds.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl also held demonstrations in parts of the province. Party spokesman Maulana Abdul Jalil Jan said in a statement that the Arab states were not serious to forge unity against Israel and as a result the entire Muslims and their holy places would come under attack.

Speaking at a protest rally outside Peshawar Press Club, provincial chief of JUI-S Maulana Yousuf Shah urged the federal government to end diplomatic relations with the US to show the grave concern of the Muslims over the issue. He said that JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq had convened a conference of religious parities and civil society organisations in Islamabad on Dec 12 to decide the future line of action in this regard.

Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao also condemned the US president’s decision and said that it would have a negative impact on the peace and stability in the region for decades to come. He demanded of the US government to immediately take back the decision. He termed the US move as a sheer violation of the international law and the UN Security Council resolution.

He praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s proposal for calling a summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on 13th of this month and said that Pakistan should immediately mobilise the OIC into taking concrete diplomatic steps against the US decision.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Difa-i-Pakistan Council, Imamia Students Organisation and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz also held rallies separately outside the Peshawar Press Club to condemn Mr Trump’s decision.

In Nowshera, chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and head of Difa-i- Pakistan Council Maulana Samiul Haq criticised the decision of US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and termed it stabbing the Islamic Ummah in the heart.

Addressing a procession brought out from Darul Uloom Haqqania at Bacha Khan Chowk, Maulana Sami said that the announcement of Mr Trump was a serious challenge to the rulers of Islamic countries to tackle it bravely. However, he criticised the rulers of Islamic countries and feared that they might not be able to deal with the issue on merit.

Maulana Sami said that if the Muslim Ummah did not show unity and courage in this matter then next step of the enemies would be against the Islam’s holiest places in Saudi Arabia. He said that in the current situation Saudi Arabia should shoulder greater responsibility in the region.

The JUI-S leader feared that the idea of two states of Israel and Palestine would be buried if the US plan succeeded.

Meanwhile, rallies were also taken out under Difa-i-Pakistan Council in Chakdara, Jamaat-i-Islami in Timergara and Awami National Party in Jandul sub-division of Lower Dir.

In Swabi, the JI and JUI-F took out rallies separately and condemned the US president’s decision on the status of Jerusalem.

In Shangla, the JI activists held protest rallies and demonstrations against Israel and US. Likewise, the JI workers and local traders jointly took out procession in Batkhela and shouted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2017