QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Wednesday condemned Israeli aggression and terrorism against the oppressed Palestinians, expressed solidarity with the people of Gaza and called upon the federal government and the Muslim world to take up the issue at all international forums, including the United Nations and Orgainsation of Islamic Cooperation, to stop bloodshed of innocent people of Palestine.

The house adopted a joint resolution of the treasury and opposition benches, which was moved by opposition member Sanaullah Baloch.

The strong-worded resolution termed the Israeli army’s aggression genocide of the people of Palestine as in its air strikes scores of people, including women and children, had been martyred and several thousand injured and rendered homeless as their houses and residential complexes had been destroyed.

Centre urged to take up the issue at international forums

It said that the Israeli army was not only killing the unarmed Palestinians but had also attacked holy places, including Al Aqsa mosque, on the eve of 27th Ramazan when people were offering prayers there.

The resolution asked the federal government to adopt diplomatic measures to seek halt to the killings of innocent and unarmed Palestinians and take up the issue at all international forums, including the UN and the OIC.

Mir Naseer Ahmed Shahwani, parliamentary leader of the BNP-Mengal, while speaking on the resolution, expressed concern over the silence of Muslim countries on the aggression of the Israeli army against the unarmed Palestinians and said Pakistan had also failed to play the required role over the issue. “Only adopting resolutions is not enough, concrete steps should be taken in this regard,” he said.

Nasrullah Zerey of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party condemned the United States for vetoing a joint resolution of many countries in the UN Security Council against the bloodshed of Palestinian people by the Israeli army.

Opposition leader Malik Sikander Khan urged the federal government to organise a demonstration in front of the UN headquarters against the killings of innocent Palestinians. He condemned the discriminatory attitude of western countries that considered themselves champions of human rights but played the role of silent spectators on the Israeli aggression against the people of Palestine.

Parliamentary secretary on information Bushra Rind, Qadir Nayal of the Hazara Democratic Party, Akbar Mengal and other members also spoke on the resolution. They also condemned the bomb attack on a girls’ school in Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2021