• Foreign Office urges United Nations to restrain Israel from ‘adventurism’, restore peace in Middle East
• Hezbollah chief’s death sparks nationwide protests; demonstrators clash with police outside US consulate in Karachi

KARACHI: As Pakistan urged the United Nations to restrain Israel from ‘adventurism’ and violations of international law, thousands of people took to the streets across the country to protest the killing of Hassan Nasrallah — the Hezbollah leader who perished in an Israeli air strike in Beirut last week.

A statement issued by the Foreign Office on Sunday denounced the growing Israeli adventurism in the Middle East and said its unbridled attacks on civilian populations and disregard of international law had reached alarming levels.

“For the last several days, Israeli forces have engaged in unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon, relentlessly targeting civilian population centres, and undermining its stability and security. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of Israeli aggression and the people of Lebanon,” the spokesperson said.

According to the statement, “Pakistan continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Lebanon. We urge the United Nations Security Council to restrain Israel from its adventurism in the region and violations of international law; and restore peace in the Middle East.”

On Sunday, demonstrations and marches were held in Islamabad, Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Pesh­awar, and Gilgit-Baltistan to express solidarity with Lebanon and Pales­tine and denounce Israeli jingoism.

In Karachi and Lahore, protesters marched towards the US consulates to register their protest. In the port city, police and protesters also clas­hed as the latter attempted to move towards the US mission on M.T. Khan Road.

Clashes during Karachi protest

The rally started from Old Numaish roundabout and attempted to move towards the consulate from the Native Jetty Bridge. Police had already put containers and created roadblocks on M.T. Khan Road and Mai Kolachi Road, which lead towards the consulate.

As the protesters tried to remove the barriers, police used force to stop them. Law enforcers claimed that several policemen, including the Moachko SHO, were injured in stone-pelting while a journalists’ body said that some reporters covering the incident were also beaten up and injured allegedly by protesters.

The protesters eventually managed to reach the US consulate, where they staged a sit-in and chanted slogans against the US and Israel.

South-DIG Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that an “understanding” had been reached with the marchers that they would hold a peaceful demonstration, but the protesters “violated” this undertaking.

He said that seven policemen, including one SHO, were injured in the violence while one reporter was also injured. He admitted that “some arrests” were made, but said the men were later released.

The Imamia Students Organi­sation, one of the main parties in the rally, said in a statement that the police resorted to massive teargas shelling and fired in the air. They were ‘peaceful’ but the administration created ‘hindrances’ and deliberately tried to spoil the atmosphere.

Demos across the country

In Lahore, protesters marched from the Punjab Assembly to the US consulate in a rally organised by the ‘Tehreek-e-Bedari Ummat Mustafa’.

Addressing the participants, Syed Jawad Naqvi stated that the martyrdom of Nasrallah would lead to the elimination of Israel. He said that the message of resistance would soon spread globally, motivating those who were still hesitant to join efforts to eliminate the Zionist state illegally occupying Palestinian lands.

In Islamabad, the Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen organised a march from Aabpara in Sector G-6 to the Serena Chowk — just outside the Red Zone, which houses diplomatic missions and key state buildings. Hundreds of protesters, carrying placards and flags, and some wearing keffiyeh, denounced the assassination of the Hezbollah leader by Israel.

The ISO also staged a demonstration against the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah outside the Peshawar Press Club. They chanted slogans against Israel.

Thousands of people in Hunza, Nagar, Skardu, Ghizer, Astore, Kharmang, Ghanche and Shigar districts held a protest against the death of the Hezbollah leader. The Karakoram Highway also remained blocked for many hours.

Similarly, thousands of people gathered at Yadgar-i-Shuhada in Skardu to record their protest, due to which main roads in Skardu remained blocked for many hours. Anjuman-i-Imamia Baltistan also announced three days of mourning and a shutter-down strike on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-i-Islami held a funeral in absentia for Hassan Nasrallah in Karachi and Peshawar.

Imtiaz Ali and Imran Ayub in Karachi, Syed Irfan Raza in Islamabad, Amjad Mahmood in Lahore, Mohammad Ashfaq in Peshawar and Jamil Nagri in Gilgit contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024