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Friday March 29, 2024

Palestine Solidarity Day: Ashrafi urges clerics to condemn Israeli atrocities in Friday sermons

By Asim Yasin
May 19, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Special Aide to Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said that on instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, ‘Palestine Solidarity Day’ will be observed all over Pakistan to express solidarity with oppressed people of Palestine on Friday in which Ulema-Mashaykh and religious scholars in Friday sermons will support and endorse Palestine’s cause and condemn Israeli atrocities.

“Palestine Solidarity Day’ is being commemorated to call upon world leadership to play its part in ending persecution of Palestinians on a permanent basis so that an independent Palestinian state can be established with Al-Quds as its capital,” he said while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.

Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said that all over Islamic world, the way, government of Pakistan and people of Pakistan are expressing solidarity with Palestine, the Palestinians are lauding Pakistan’s endeavours.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan, during his visit to Saudi Arabia in Medina and Makkah, focused all his attention against atrocities upon people of Kashmir and Palestine and how to contain this oppression.

Tahir Ashrafi stated that Pakistan is ready to take any responsibility for the solution of the problems of the Muslim Ummah in collaboration with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He said the vision and thinking of Prime Minister Imran Khan is that we should unite the entire Muslim Ummah because one country can’t play the role on these issues in the same way that the entire Ummah can play a role together.

Ashrafi said the prime minister is in constant coordination with the heads of Islamic countries at all forums and levels. He said that Israel is constantly targeting children and women in Palestine and Al Aqsa is a red line for the entire Muslim Ummah. He said that just as the Harmain Al-Sharifain is a red line for us and no one can be allowed to play with the peace and security of the Harmain Al-Sharifain, so as Al Aqsa is a red line for the Muslim Ummah and no one can compromise on sanctity of it.

He said the world leadership had to see how to stop this ongoing oppression and persecution of Palestinians by tyrant Israeli forces.

He said on the instructions of President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Pakistan Red Crescent has been instructed to provide medicines to the Palestinian brothers and every possible effort should be made to assist Palestinians.

Ashrafi said the President of Palestine, the Chief Justice of Palestine, the Grand Mufti of Palestine, the Imam of Al Aqsa Mosque and the people of Palestine had thanked Pakistan for raising voice for the cause of Palestine stating that government and people of Pakistan had exceeded their expectations. “Pakistan will continue to play its role for Palestine and Kashmir,” he said. He said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the instructions of the prime minister said in OIC foreign ministerial level meeting that OIC and Muslim countries should decide what to do, Pakistan will stay firm and committed, whatever will be decided at the OIC forum. “Palestine and Kashmir are the problems of the Muslim Ummah and now is the time to stop the bloodshed in Palestine and Kashmir,” he said.

He also added that Namoos-e-Risalat, Islamophobia, blasphemy, Kashmir and Palestine are issues of Muslim Ummah and the day is not far off when we all will offer prayers in Al Aqsa. Replying to a question, Ashrafi said that Pakistan is in coordination with all Islamic countries including Saudi Arabia. He said OIC is the only united organisation and forum of Muslim countries and at the moment, it is headed by Saudi Arabia.