KARACHI: Thousands of men, women and children marched on Sunday in Pakistan's commercial hub of Karachi to express solidarity with the Palestinian people amid relentless Israeli bombardment on Gaza, which has forced nearly 1 million people to flee their homes.
Israel has intensified its bombardment of Gaza since Palestinian group, Hamas, launched a multi-pronged attack on the Jewish nation last week. The attack claimed at least 1,300 lives, while Israel’s bombing of Gaza has resulted in the killing of at least 2,450 Palestinians.
Israel has also blockaded Gaza, effectively preventing food, fuel and water from reaching the densely populated territory of over two million people. The actions have drawn widespread anger and sparked protests in Pakistan.
On Sunday, Jamaat-e-Islami, a Pakistani religious party, organized a massive rally in Karachi, where the speakers warned of far-reaching consequences of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.
“We want to emphasize that if Israel was not stopped, it may lead to a third world war,” JI chief Sirajul Haque warned, while addressing participants of the rally on the city's main thoroughfare, Shahrah-e-Faisal.
“The US president has announced his support for Israel. We want to convey to the US president that if he continues to support Israel, we will lay siege to the US embassy in Islamabad.”
The rally drew large crowds of Pakistani people from different walks of life, who carried placards in support of the people of Gaza.
Zobia Ahmed, who attended the march along with her husband, three daughters and parents, said the situation demanded of everyone to protest Israeli actions.
“There are small kids, people who have been oppressed, the supply of food, and everything has been stopped” she said. "So, if Muslims do not stand up against that and against the martyrdoms that happened, who will stand up?"
Quratul Ain, 17, said she attended the march in solidarity with Palestinians, who were facing an "imminent genocide."
“The world needs to stand up and take a stand against what is happening. It is a genocide,” the 17-year-old said.
“It feels like an absolute luxury to us to have a clean glass of water today, to be able to sleep in a clean bed, and to have a peaceful life,” she said, noting the people of Gaza were sleeping under open skies without access to basic necessities.
Separately, members of the civil society gathered outside the Karachi Press Club to express solidarity with Palestinians.
“We stand against all violations of the international humanitarian law,” said Shehzad Ghias Shaikh, a v-logger and influencer. "What's happening in Palestine is apartheid, it's genocide and occupation, and we stand against all of those things."
Dr. Mehrub Moiz Awan, a transgender rights activist, said the message of their march was to ask the government to stand with the people of Palestine.
“We are standing against the colonization of the land of Palestine and we are all for an end to the senseless, brutal occupation the people of Gaza and Palestine have been facing for the past many years,” Awan said.
Nargis Rehman, convener of the Karachi Citizens Forum group, said the Jews faced injustice in Europe and the Europeans should take them back.
“What kind of justice is it to occupy another's land and make them refugees in their own country,” she questioned. “This oppression is, in fact, an arrangement for war.”
