PESHAWAR: Different political parties and student organisations Friday staged province-wide demonstrations to express sympathy with the Palestinians and express their anger against Israeli atrocities.
The activists of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF), Jamaat-e-Islami (IJT), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League took to the streets in almost all the cities of the province to express solidarity with the people of Palestine in their recent war in Gaza.
In Peshawar, the JUIF activists brought out a protest procession from Mufti Mahmud Markaz on Ring Road and marched towards Kabotar Chowk, where they staged a public gathering. They were led by their provincial president Maulana Ataur Rahman.
The JI activists staged a protest demonstration on main GT Road at Hashtnagri. They were led by Prof Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, provincial president of the party.
The IJT activists started a protest rally from Usmania Hostel in Islamia College Peshawar and reached the main Jamrud Road where they staged a gathering. They were led by campus president of the organisation, Asfandiar Rabbani.
The protests set Israeli flags on fire to express their anger. They also chanted slogans against Israel and the US.
The speakers on the occasion paid glowing tributes to Palestinians and pledged to support them. Though the Palestinian fighters had freed certain areas of Gaza from the illegal occupation, many areas of the Palestinians were being forcefully occupied by Israel.
They condemned Israel’s indiscriminate bombing against peaceful settlers in the areas of Palestine in which, they said, women, children and non-combatant people were massacred against all norms of humanity and principles of war.
They also criticised the US for raising voice in support of Israel and terming the Palestinian struggle as human rights violation. The leaders said that the US itself was the biggest violator of human rights.
The speakers were also concerned about the cold shoulder response by the Muslim rulers in the prevailing circumstances. They urged the Muslim rulers to come forward and own a bold standpoint to openly support the Palestinians in their struggle for freedom.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also staged a protest rally outside the Peshawar Press Club against the Israeli atrocities.
The PTI leaders including Sajid Nawaz, Wazirzada, Rabia Basri, Ali Zaman, Irfan Salim and others led the protest. The PTI workers were holding placards with slogans in support of Palestine.
They also chanted slogans against Israel and condemned the western countries on their silence over the Palestinian genocide. The peace in Palestine was vital for world peace, they added.
They asked the government of Pakistan to announce support to Palestine. Pakistan Muslim League also staged a protest rally outside the Peshawar Press Club against Israel. A large number of party workers attended the rally.
Led by Yawar Aftab, the protesters burned the Israeli flag and chanted slogans against Zionist regime. They held Israel responsible for the ongoing violence in the region as it always provoked Palestinians by committing inhuman acts.
They said that declaring Palestinians’ resistance to the Israeli aggression as terrorism was unjust and exposed the real face of the west. “The illegal Zionist state has been committing crimes against humanity for decades,” Yawar Afftab added.
The protesters said that Israeli atrocities against innocent Palestinians was a violation of basic human rights. They also criticized the United Nations for always failing to prove its impartiality. They also condemned the so-called super powers for turning a blind eye to the Palestinians genocide.
