PESHAWAR: Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh has hoped that Prime Minister Imran Khan will take pragmatic steps to support the Palestinian cause and fully back their struggle.

In a recorded speech to “Labbaik Al-Quds Million March” in Peshawar on Sunday, he said that Muslim countries should form strategic partnership for defending holy lands. Jamaat-i-Islami organised the rally to express solidarity with the people of Gaza and other occupied territories of Palestine who recently resisted Israeli aggression.

JI chief Sirajul Haq, provincial chief Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan and other senior leaders of the party also addressed the rally. A large number of supporters of JI attended the rally, which was held on the main Grand Trunk Road. The venue was decorated with the national flags of Palestine Authority.

A banner read: “Israel is an Apartheid State.” The charged participants of the rally chanted slogans of “death to Israel” and “we are ready to sacrifice our lives to liberate Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

In recorded speech at JI rally, Ismail Haniyeh lauds Pakistan for backing Palestinians

In his recorded speech, Ismail Haniyeh, who had also served as prime minister of the Palestine Authority, appreciated the stance of the people of Pakistan and the government, especially Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, for their unflinching support for the people of Palestine.

He acknowledged that Pakistan government and its people had always supported the cause of Palestine though organising rallies. “I hope Prime Minister Imran Khan would take practical steps for supporting cause of Palestine,” he said and urged Muslim countries to establish strategic partnership for the liberation of Al-Quds.

“You (people of Pakistan) are equally involved in victory against the recent Israeli aggression,” said Ismail Haniyeh.

JI chief Sirajul Haq on this occasion demanded of the heads of Muslim states to work out a plausible plan for the liberation of Aqsa Mosque and other occupied territories of Palestine. He said that existing circumstances proved that the issue of Palestine and Kashmir could not be resolved through resolutions.

He said that time had come to move forward to liberate Palestine and Kashmir from the clutches of Israel and India. He said that a small group of Afghan Taliban defeated the US allied forces in Afghanistan while Muslim countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia having 7.4 million strong army were unable to deter the Israeli aggression.

He assured the people of Afghanistan that Pakistan would never hand over a single inch of its territory to Americans to establish bases. He demanded of the government to bring all agreements to the parliament that had been signed with the US since President Musharraf era.

Addressing the rally, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that protest demonstrations and rallies across the world forced the Jewish state to stop barbaric action against innocent Palestinians. He said that Muslims across the world would continue struggle for the liberation of Al-Quds and other occupied territories.

He appreciated role of few Muslim countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and Qatar for their diplomatic, financial and moral support to people of Gaza. He said that JI collected Rs100 million donations and dispatched relief goods to people of Gaza through its Turkish partners.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2021