KARACHI: Thousands of schoolchildren thronged Shahrah-i-Quaideen on Thursday to participate in a march organised by the Jamaat-i-Islami to express solidarity with the children in Gaza.

They demanded an end to the ongoing genocide of Palestinians and a strong response from the Islamic countries against Israel.

The students, including girls, also performs tableaux, sang songs and recited poems at the march, themed ‘Unite with Gaza’, highlighting the courage of children in Gaza against tyranny, hunger and death.

Speaking on the occasion, JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman paid a rich tribute to participants for sending a clear message of solidarity with Gaza’s children.

“Where are the trailblazers and champions of human rights? It’s a humanitarian crisis and all the people of conscience in the world side with Gaza, Palestine,” he said, adding: “On the basis of their beliefs, Zionist forces were killing innocent people just to establish their religious and racial supremacy.”

He said that the Ummah will not forget the children slaughtered in Gaza.

He asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to shun his dual standards.

The JI leader slammed the United States and said President Trump was hand in gloves with Netanyahu when it comes to the bloodbath in Gaza.

“In the given scenario, Trump doesn’t deserve any respect as he provides the driving force for Israel to kill innocent Palestinians,” he added.

“Hamas is a legitimate resistance force, whereas Israel is nothing but an occupier of Palestine,” he said. “Time has come to hold Netanyahu, Trump and their allies responsible for their crimes against humanity.”

He said that the so-called “two-state solution was a sugar-coated poison and tantamount to legitimising Israeli occupation”.

Hafiz Naeem also announced that on October 5, a ‘million march’ would be organised in Karachi, whereas on October 7, protests and programmes would be held on the international front.

He welcomed the defence accord between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and urged the two sides to bring other Muslim countries under the same umbrella.

At the programme, on behalf of Usman Public School System, its Executive Director Moenuddin Neyar presented a cheque for Rs3 million as donation for Gaza’s children.

Star Academy’s Shakir Shakoor also announced Rs100,000 donation for the same cause.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2025