Karachi: Echoes of "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" were heard on Shahrah-e-Quaideen on Wednesday afternoon as tens of thousands of students participated in the Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) children march for the Palestine cause.
The JI had organised the march to express solidarity with the Palestinian children as at least half of the over 10,000 people killed in Gaza by Israeli bombardments, during the fresh wave of terrorism, have been children.
The participants of the march chanted slogans against the Israeli war crimes in Gaza. The student participants carried banners, placards and artworks highlighting the Israeli brutalities.
Several schools on the occasion deposited generous donations by their students for the people of Gaza. Medical response camps were set up, and water vans and ambulances were also made available at the venue.
Many students also delivered speeches and recited poems in support for the oppressed Palestinians. A Karate show was also held at the stage.
Speaking to the marchers, Karachi JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman lamented the hypocrisy of the rulers of the Muslim bloc. He said that some two billion Muslims lived on the globe with strong armies, weaponry and even nukes, but despite all the might, Muslim rulers and generals had lost their weight just because of their cowardice and selfishness.
On the other hand, he added, the Western governments had sided with Israel despite all its crimes against humanity in Gaza and other parts of Palestine. However, he lauded all the people of conscience who had been protesting against Israel across the world.
Rehman said Israel was an illegitimate and terrorist state. He stated Israel was enjoying the naked support of the United States as the latter wanted to strengthen its political agenda in the Middle East.
Lambasting the US, he said it had a history of killings. The US used fake propaganda to invade Iraq and Afghanistan, the JI leader said.
The Israeli army had insulted the Qibla e Awal and Muslims in Aqsa under the plan for a greater Israel and the conquest of Madina was also a part of this plan, Rehman said, adding that the issue of Palestine was a part of our faith and belief.
He was of the view that Israel could not defeat Hamas and Palestinians and all what it could do was committing war crimes.