KARACHI: Different religious and political parties took out rallies on Sunday against US President Donald Trump’s decision of declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

The main protest was held near the US Consulate on Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road where activists burnt flags of the United States and Israel.

No untoward incident was reported from any part of the city but the rallies caused traffic congestion on roads close to the US Consulate in South district.

The Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen started its protest from Numaish Chowrangi and after passing through various roads reached M.T. Khan Road.

Police had already placed containers and created temporary hurdles, preventing the protesters from moving towards the consulate.

“We have put up containers and installed barriers to prevent the protesters from reaching the consulate,” said Karachi-South DIG Azad Khan.

The senior officer added that the protesters did not try to cross the barriers and dispersed peacefully after delivering speeches.

The MWM activists also set the flags of the US and Israel on fire.

Addressing the protesters, Allama Mukhtar Imami, Allama Baqar Abbas Zaidi, Allama Mubashir Hasan and others said President Trump had violated international laws and hatched a conspiracy to start an unending trouble in the Middle East.

“Had the Arab states been united, the US would not have dared to declare Muslims’ first Qibla the capital of the Jew state,” the leaders believed.

They urged Pakistan to motivate Muslim countries and launch a united struggle against the US decision besides severing diplomatic ties with both the US and Israel in order to force Mr Trump to reverse his decision.

The religious leaders asked Muslim rulers to go beyond their narrow interests and chalk out a joint future line of action.

They were of the view that since Arab states were the major buyers of US weapons, their decision to end ties with the US would force Mr Trump to shift the capital back to Tel Aviv.

The leaders also urged all political parties of Pakistan to pass a joint resolution in Parliament against the US and Israel.

Besides MWM, other parties also registered protests. Difa-i-Pakistan Council took out a rally from Safari Park to Islamia College, Tehreek-i-Labaik from Bahadurabad Chowrangi to Numaish while Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto) held a protest demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2017