KARACHI: A rally organized by the student wing of a religious party in Pakistan’s southern Karachi port city on Saturday drew thousands of participants who marched toward the US Consulate to protest against the ongoing war in Gaza and advocate for an independent Palestinian state.
The rally attendees chanted slogans against the US and Israel while carrying Palestinian flags and large banners that read “Stop the Genocide in Gaza.”
Organized by the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, with affiliation with the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party, the march brought together students from various universities, professional education institutions and colleges.
The JI and its student wing have previously organized similar demonstrations to protest the war in Israel that has claimed nearly 38,000 lives, mostly women and children, since it began on October 7, 2023.
“The Pakistani student community and youth will not accept any two-state solution and will only accept an independent and sovereign Palestinian state,” said Hasan Bilal Hashmi, the top leader of the student wing in Karachi, during the rally, as per a press release.
Other participants praised the Palestinian resistance and expressed their continued support.
They highlighted that the JI student wing had supported Palestinians since the conflict began and called for the Muslim world to unite to help them.
Later, the marchers delivered a memorandum to the US Consulate, urging the American administration to cease its support for Israel.
This memorandum was signed by a number of students, including many who participated in the demonstration.
Thousands of students march in Karachi to protest Gaza war, demand independent Palestinian state
https://arab.news/9d9p7
Thousands of students march in Karachi to protest Gaza war, demand independent Palestinian state
- The rally, which was organized by the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, marched toward the US Consulate with Palestinian flags
- The participants said they did not believe in two-state solution and would only accept independent and sovereign Palestine
Pakistan expresses solidarity with Switzerland as ski resort explosion kills 40, injures 100
- Explosion occurred at crowded bar in upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve party
- Swiss authorities say they are still investigating the cause of the explosion, which appears to be an accident
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed solidarity with Switzerland after an explosion at the bar of a ski resort in the country killed at least 40 people and injured 100.
The explosion occurred at a crowded bar during a New Year’s Eve party in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana on Wednesday night, Swiss authorities said. The fire broke out at 1.30 a.m. (0030 GMT) in a bar called “Le Constellation” in southwestern Switzerland.
Swiss authorities say they are still investigating the cause of the blast, saying it appears to be an accident.
“Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic fire incident at a ski resort in Switzerland on New Year night,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X.
“Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives and pray for the early recovery of the injured. We stand in solidarity with the Swiss Government and the people of Switzerland at this difficult time.”
https://x.com/CMShehbaz/status/2006677928663462347
Frederic Gisler, the head of police of Valais canton, said patients had been dispatched to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich.
“Our count is about 100 injured, most seriously, and unfortunately tens of people are presumed dead,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said fireworks may have caused the explosion.
“It seems to have been an accident caused by a fire, by some explosion, by some firecracker thrown during New Year’s celebrations,” he told Italy’s Sky TG24 tv channel.
