PESHAWAR: Workers of different political parties and the business community on Tuesday held protest rallies to condemn killing of innocent Palestinians at the hands of Israeli forces, and demanded of the United Nations to play its role to bring to an immediate end the bloodshed in Palestine.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz activists, holding banners and placards, marched on the Saddar Road to the Peshawar Press Club, shouting anti-Israel slogans.

The protest was led by party’s provincial president Amir Muqam.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Muqam condemned the frequent bombardment on Gaza and described it worst kind of violence against humanity.

He said the Israeli forces were busy in genocide of Palestinians, but the Muslim Ummah had kept silence over the brutal killings, particularly of children and women.

Political activists, traders describe Gaza bombardment worst kind of violence against humanity

The PML-N leader said his party had announced nationwide protest rallies on May 21 against the Israeli aggression.

Separately, traders of different bazaars of Peshawar also held a protest demonstration on the Sher Shah Suri Road, holding flags of Palestine and placards inscribed with anti-Israeli slogans.

The speakers said the entire responsibility of the ongoing bloodshed in Palestine rested with the United States and the United Nations. Expressing their solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians, the traders urged the Ummah to take unified stand against the Zionist forces in order to rid the innocent people of the illegal occupation.

Also, Pakistan Peoples Party workers held demonstrations in Peshawar city and condemned the Israeli aggression against Palestinians.

PPP provincial council member Haji Abid Ali, Peoples Youth Organisation secretary information Irfan Afridi and others spoke on the occasion, expressing solidarity with the Palestinians and condemning the Israeli aggression.

They said the unilateral action by the Israeli forces was meant to occupy Muslim territories, particularly the holy places, and to expand its area illegally.

The protesters also urged the international media to present a true picture of the Israeli violence against Palestinians.

In Lower Dir, Jamaat-i-Islami announced a series of protest rallies against the Israeli forces’ bombardment on Gaza.

Speaking at a news conference in Balambat, JI chief Sirajul Haq announced to hold a million march in Islamabad on May 21, another march in Karachi on May 23 and in Peshawar on May 30.

He said Jerusalem was bleeding wherein a total of 212 innocent people, including 58 children, had been brutally martyred in the bombardment by Israeli planes. He said the Gaza city had been reduced to rubbles.

Mr Haq accused Israel and India of forming an alliance to destroy Palestine. He asked the OIC member countries to immediately establish a Palestine Relief Fund for providing medical treatment to the injured people and rehabilitation of mosques, schools and hospitals.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had remained absent from the National Assembly session that unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Israeli aggression.

He said the party had set up relief funds for Palestinians in order to help them in medical emergencies and rehabilitate their damaged infrastructure.

In Charsadda, speaking at a press conference at Watan Kor, Qaumi Watan Party provincial chief Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao expressed deep concern over Israeli strikes on the Palestinians, and urged the Saudi Arabia government to play active role in mobilising Ummah to raise voice against atrocities against unarmed people.

On the occasion, Akhtar Gul Khan, former tehsil nazim Shabqadar, along with supporters resigned from Jamaat-i-Islami and joined the QWP.

Mr Sikandar declared that OIC was not serious in resolution of the Palestine and Kashmir issues and other problems facing the Muslims. He said the government should give a clear message to the world community that Pakistan would always stand by the Palestinians.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2021