LAHORE: Denouncing US President Trump’s announcement recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Jamaat-i-Islami emir Senator Sirajul Haq on Thursday gave a call for a countrywide protest against the decision on Friday (today).

In a statement, Mr Haq demanded Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi should attend the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting called by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Dec 13 and try to play a leading role in the efforts to unite the Muslim world on such a sensitive issue.

He said the Ummah must be on the same page to foil the US designs and the Muslim rulers should unite and work out a joint line of action to meet the challenge.

He appreciated China, France, Britain and several other western countries for condemning the US decision. He said the need of the hour was to call a meeting of the UN Security Council and raise an effective voice against Trump’s decision so that another world war could be averted.

The JI chief said declaring Jerusalem as Israel capital was tantamount to adding fuel to fire as it had seriously endangered world peace. He said that Trump enjoying Zionist lobby wanted to plunge the world into an other world war to save deteriorating image of the US.

Haq also urged the political and religious leadership in the country to sink their differences and stand united against the Zionist conspiracies. He urged the prayer leaders to highlight the issue in their Friday sermons and raise their voice against the US provocations.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2017