KARACHI: Three Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants and one Domino’s Pizza outlet were attacked in the Pakistani city of Karachi over the past three days, causing some damage but no injuries, police said, describing the assaults as being motivated by anger over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Boycott campaigns have hit Western brands in many Muslim countries since the start of Israel’s latest war on Gaza in October 2023, spearheaded by the BDS Movement, a global, Palestinian-led campaign advocating for non-violent pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian rights under international law. The movement calls for the boycott of certain companies and organizations that it says have invested in Israel or donate to its military and are directly profiting from its economy.
While not officially on the BDS boycott list, KFC has faced backlash from pro-Palestinian advocates in many countries who believe the brand’s operations in Israel contribute to the conflict. KFC, owned by Yum! Brands, has faced boycotts in many Arab nations and accusations of supporting Israel due to Yum! Brands’ investments in Israeli-based startups, but the company maintains it is non-political and denies supporting the Israeli military or government. Dominos is on the boycott list of the BDS, which says it donates to the Israeli military, an accusation the company denies. There is, however, an Israeli subsidiary of Domino’s Pizza.
“A mob of about 100 to 150 people attempted to ransack a multinational food chain outlet and block the main highway,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in the Malir area, Kashif Abbasi, to Arab News, confirming that the outlet was a local branch of KFC.
He said police acted promptly, dispersed the crowd and prevented damage to the building while arresting nine suspects.
On Tuesday, a mob of around 35 people attacked KFC and Domino’s Pizza restaurants in Karachi, with ten suspects arrested.
“The attack on the food outlets was motivated by anger over the situation in Gaza,” said Syed Asad Raza, Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
“There is a similar pattern across the Muslim World, especially Bangladesh and other countries, mostly incited through social media.”
In a third attack on Monday over a dozen men hurled stones at a KFC outlet and broke its windows.
“They were unable to enter the outlet and fled due to the prompt response of the police. No arrests have been made, but we have registered a case against the unidentified attackers,” Dr. Farrukh Raza, Senior Superintendent of Police for East Karachi, told Arab News.
On Wednesday, media also reported attacks on a KFC branch in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore.
The attacks have been widely blamed on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) religious-political party, known to lead violent protests in the country, most prominently in support of blasphemy laws.
However, TLP spokesperson Rehan Mohsin Khan distanced the party from the attacks on the KFC and Domino’s Pizza restaurants and told Arab News that while TLP’s stance on the Palestine issue was “clear,” violent protests were “not part of our policy.”
“If one or two members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan were present among the protesters out of their love for Gaza, it does not mean that it was the policy of the party or we support violence,” he said.
“We are in favor of peaceful protests, and we are trying to pressure the Pakistani government to officially boycott all these products.”
KFC, Domino’s Pizza outlets attacked in Pakistan over Gaza war — police
https://arab.news/c9spz
KFC, Domino’s Pizza outlets attacked in Pakistan over Gaza war — police
- Mobs have attacked KFC and Domino’s Pizza outlets in Pakistan’s commercial capital of Karachi in three separate assaults since Monday
- Attacks widely blamed on TLP religious-political party which denies involvement and says using peaceful means to force boycotts
Pakistan’s top military commander hails Saudi defense pact as ‘historic’ at scholars’ conference
- Asim Munir says Pakistan has a unique bond with the Kingdom, citing the ‘honor’ of helping safeguard the holy sites
- He says only the state can declare jihad, urging religious scholars to counter extremist narratives and promote unity
ISLAMABAD: Chief of Defense Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday described the country’s joint security pact with Saudi Arabia as a “historic” milestone, telling a gathering of religious scholars that Pakistan and the kingdom share a deep strategic relationship.
Signed in September, the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement has solidified decades of Saudi–Pakistan defense cooperation, covering intelligence-sharing, counterterrorism and regional stability.
The two nations have long coordinated on defense matters, with Pakistani military personnel deployed in the Kingdom.
“The defense agreement [with Saudi Arabia] is historic,” he said in an address to the conference in the federal capital.
The top military commander said Pakistan regarded its connection with the Kingdom as unique.
“Among all Muslim countries, Allah has given Pakistan the honor of helping safeguard the Haramain,” he continued, referring to the two holiest sites of Islam in Makkah and Madinah.
Munir used his speech to warn against extremism, saying that under the Islamic framework, only the state could declare jihad, a pointed reference to groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which claims to act in the name of religion while carrying out attacks on civilians and security forces.
“When nations abandon knowledge and the pen, disorder takes hold,” he said, urging the religious scholars to help keep society unified and to “broaden the nation’s vision.”
Munir also criticized India, describing “terrorism” as “India’s habit, not Pakistan’s.”
His remarks came months after a four-day military confrontation in May, during which the two nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged artillery and missile fire and deployed drones and fighter jets.
India blamed Pakistan for a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir before launching a missile attack. Islamabad denied involvement and called for an international probe.
Pakistan claimed it had shot down six Indian fighter jets before a US-brokered ceasefire took effect.
“We do not hide when confronting the enemy,” Munir said. “We challenge openly.”
