LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq on Tuesday announced a protest march in front of the US Embassy in Islamabad on Oct 29 (Sunday) to condemn Israel’s brutal aggression in Gaza and overt US support for it.

Speaking at a press conference in Mansoorah, he declared that the march would be a display of solidarity with the people of Palestine, and a stance against the overt support extended by the US to Israeli aggression in Gaza.

He urged the public to actively participate in the upcoming protest and invited leaders of all political parties to join in.

Haq highlighted the staggering death toll of Israeli aggression, saying that nearly 2,000 children and women, were among 5,000 innocent Palestinians, who have lost their lives in Gaza so far.

He condemned the indiscriminate bombardment by the Zionist forces, which resulted in the destruction of crucial infrastructures such as hospitals and schools in Gaza.

Haq also deplored the blockade imposed by Israel on the supply of essential resources like water, food, and medicines to Gazans, causing displacement of approximately 870,000 people during the 18-day long onslaught.

Expressing disappointment with the Pakistani government’s lack of support for the people of Palestine, he stated that the Muslim world had expected strong measures from the powerful Islamic country.

He also criticised leaders of other Islamic countries for their lackluster responses to Israeli aggression, accusing them of issuing hollow statements while being apprehensive about antagonizing Washington. In contrast, he pointed out the openly supportive stance of the US President towards Israeli aggression, citing a history of similar support for bloodshed, ranging from past military actions in Japan, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan to backing India and Israel in their conflicts against the Kashmiri and Palestinian struggles for freedom.

Haq underscored the limited impact of the OIC’s ministerial-level involvement in addressing the issue, calling for a summit to specifically address the dire situation in Gaza.

Highlighting his party’s role, he said the JI had held nationwide protest demonstrations, convened a national conference on Palestine, and established a committee comprising members from various political parties to engage with the ambassadors of different countries in Islamabad to raise awareness about the issue.

Haq said the JI would submit 10 million signed petitions from the people of Pakistan to the United Nations, urging it to intervene to ensure a ceasefire in Gaza and designating Israel as a terrorist state.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2023