• Massive rally on Sharea Faisal condemns Israeli atrocities in Palestine
• Hafiz Naeem announces countrywide strike on 22nd

KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami on Sunday staged a massive rally on Sharea Faisal and announced that a countrywide strike would be observed on April 22 to show solidarity with the people of Gaza and condemn the Israeli brutalities.

The JI asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to do more than “mere lip service” to help the oppressed Palestinians.

Addressing a huge “Gaza Solidarity March” on Sharea Faisal, JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman accused all major political parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf of staying silent against the United States despite knowing that the superpower was openly supporting the Israeli aggression in Palestine.

A large number of Karachiites gathered on Sharea Faisal to join the march.

The people from all walks of life, including women, children and senior citizens, participated in the rally, called by JI chief Hafiz Naeem.

Representative bodies of lawyers, teachers, traders, doctors and other professionals had already announced their support for the march and participated in the rally.

“Karachi once again proved that it represents the entire Muslim world,” said Hafiz Naeem in his address to the charged crowd.

“The people of Gaza are facing unbearable pain, around 70,000 people had been killed in Gaza, a significant majority among them were women and children. With the approval of Palestinian leadership, we will observe a countrywide shutdown strike on April 22.”

He once again reiterated his demand for the establishment and the political leadership of the country to take the lead in global measures.

He urged them to invite all like-minded people on a single platform and devise a joint global strategy against the horrible bloodbath in Gaza by Israel.

He urged the people to take all possible steps to help innocent Palestinians.

“Every deed counts, be it funding, a tweet, a video message, a direct call or anything else,” he reminded the protest participants.

He said that the world can’t be ruled by ruthless force.

Addressing the “rulers of Pakistan”, he urged them to shun “hypocrisy”.

“The rulers always chant the mantra of economy when they are asked to take drastic steps in the right direction.

“And I ask the leadership of all these three parties — the PPP, PML-N and PTI — that why are they so afraid of raising their voice against America when it comes to Israeli brutalities against innocent Palestinians,” he said.

“You can raise your voice in American parliament for your interests, you can launch lobbying campaigns for your party in America and you can engage with American leaders to address your party issues but you can’t say a word against the illegitimate support of United States to Israel.”

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025