RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (PCDA) has announced its support for a one-day nationwide strike in all business centres and markets on Saturday against Israeli atrocities and terrorism in Palestine.

The pharmacy chains, pharmacies and chemists’ business centres located in front of hospitals will remain closed until 12 noon.

These decisions were announced in a meeting chaired by PCDA Chairman Zahid Bakhtawari through video link.

The meeting was attended by group leaders Salahuddin Sheikh, Ghulam Hashim Noorani from Karachi, Zahid Bakhtawari, Basit Abbasi, Arshad Awan, Chaudhry Imran Rashid from Punjab, Tariq Mahmood from Attock and Sirajuddin from Peshawar and other provincial chairmen along with Chairman Mehboob Ahmed and Vice President Sheikh Talat Mahmood of China-Pharmacies Association Pakistan.

Private school association also announces to close institutions as part of strike by political and religious parties

According to the decisions taken in the meeting, the association stands with the country’s business community in today’s (Saturday) strike.

Addressing the meeting, Zahid Bakhtawari announced full support for the strike and said it will be a means of organising a nationwide campaign to boycott Zionist products and an important milestone for ending the siege of Gaza and Israeli barbarity and atrocities as well as waking up the rulers of the Muslim world from their slumber.

Mr Bakhtawari and leaders of the association, keeping in mind the problems of patients and the public, said all pharma trade business centres, especially pharmacies, chain pharmacies, chemists in front of hospitals, will participate in the shutter-down strike by closing their business for half a day until 12 noon and wholesalers’ business centres will close their business for the whole day.

Private schools

All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association North Punjab announced that private educational institutions will remain closed on Saturday (today) to express solidarity with the oppressed Muslims of Gaza.

“We support the announcement of a nationwide strike by the business community and political and religious parties,” said the president of the association Abrar Ahmed Khan in a statement.

He said to express solidarity with the oppressed Muslims of Gaza and Palestine; schools will join hands with traders.

He condemned the Israeli cruelty and barbarity on the Muslims of Gaza and said Palestine was an unresolved issue.

Muslim rulers must break their silence on Israeli brutality and terrorism.

“Israeli brutality and barbarity are the darkest chapter in human history. Israel is openly violating international human rights laws. It is our religious and moral responsibility to raise our voice for the Palestinian people on every platform,” he said.

He said OIC countries must adopt a joint strategy to stop Israeli brutality and barbarity. Brutal terrorism is not only an insult to international laws but also a stain on the face of humanity, he said.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2025