peshawar   -   To express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine, protest rallies were held across the province to strongly condemn the Israeli airstrikes on the Grand Al-Aqsa mosque and brutalities of Zionist forces against innocent Palestinian children and women. 

The protesting workers and leadership of almost all the religio-political parties vowed to continue supporting the Palestinian people in their struggle for the right to self-determination and showed solidarity with Palestinian Muslim brothers and sisters in the wake on Israeli aggression in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

In Peshawar, the Youth Wing of Jamat-e-Islami after Jumma prayer held a protest rally in front of the Peshawar Press Club to strongly condemn the atrocities being meted out by Israeli forces on innocent Palestinians. 

The protest rally was led by the JI Youth Wing, president Hassan Bashir which was addressed by party’s KP amir, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan and district Peshawar amir, Attiq-ur-Rahman besides others. The participants were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans expressing solidarity and support with Palestinian and condemning barbarism of Israeli forces. 

Addressing the rally, speakers said that the issue of Al-Aqsa Mosque was not specific to Palestinians and nor a dispute of a piece of land, rather it is integral part of the faith of whole Muslim Ummah. 

They demanded of the leadership of all Muslim countries across the world to get united at a single platform and chalk out a diplomatic as well as defensive strategy for curtailing the Israeli aggression and for the protection of Palestine and Al-Aqsa mosque. 

Meanwhile, another protest rally against the Israeli forces’ atrocities in Palestine, organized by JUI-F PK 75, which was led by JUI-F Arbab Farooq Jan, party provincial leader Maulana Sohail Darwesh and others.  

The participants of the rally gathered at main Tangon Adda Landi Arbab where hundreds of the faithful took part in the protest demo.

Addressing the protestors, JUI-F local leader Arbab Farooq and Maulana Sohail Darwesh said that JUI stands with the oppressed Palestinian people and will raise their voice for their Muslim brothers at every forum.  

They criticized the criminal silence of the international human rights organizations and UNO over the atrocities being carried out by Zionist forces.

The JUI-F local leaders also made it clear to the international community and especially the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) that it would become a threat to the peace of entire world.  

They asked the UN to sense the gravity of situation and play its role and immediately stop Israeli brutalities in Palestine. The enraged participants of the rally raised slogans against Israel and vowed not to hesitate in rendering any sacrifice for the holy land and Grand mosque in Palestine. 

Similarly, the traders representative body Peshawar Traders’ Alliance also carried a protest rally led by the alliance president and National Peace Council (NPC) provincial chairman Ghulam Bilal. 

Meanwhile, separate rallies were also taken out by journalists from Timergara press club (TPC) and workers of PTI outside the Timergara press club to condemn the Israeli airstrikes.

The protesters chanted slogans against Israel and its supporters. 

Speaking on the occasion, TPC President Syed Amjad Ali Shah demanded of the UN to play its role to stop killings of innocent Palestinians in Gaza.

Expressing solidarity with the Palestinians, the speakers called upon Muslim Ummah to get united against Israeli aggression. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in a statement said the government and people of the province would continue supporting the Palestinian people in their struggle for right to self-determination and to show solidarity with Palestinian brothers and sisters in the wake on Israeli aggression in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

On the occasion of Palestine Solidarity Day, the CM said that Pakistan strongly condemned atrocities committed by the Israeli military in Gaza and other occupied territories. He said that attacks and targeting innocent Palestinian civilians by Israel was a war crime and state terrorism. 

The Chief Minister said that Pakistan would continue extending its moral, political and diplomatic support to Palestinian people in their just struggle. He said that international community and world organizations should take notice of Israeli state terrorism and take steps to stop atrocities against innocent people. 

Similarly, Speaker KP Assembly Mushtaq Ghani in a separate statement said that the entire Pakistani nation stood with the oppressed Palestinians in support of their just and legitimate struggle against Israel. 

The Speaker said that in line with the call of Prime Minister Imran Khan to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine, protest rallies were being held across the country to strongly condemn the brutalities of Israel against innocent Palestinian children and women.  

He also said Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had adopted a bold and effective stance over the Palestine issue, reflecting the wishes and aspirations of the people of Pakistan. He regretted that the criminal silence of the so-called champions of human rights organizations and countries over the brutalities and terrorism of Israel. 

‘Today is the day of awakening the world and it is time that the entire world including Muslim Ummah to come forward and play meaningful role for resolution of long standing issues of Kashmir and Palestine, he added. 

He said it is high time to convey a clear message to Israel and India to stop genocide of oppressed Kashmiris and Palestinians and in this regard entire Muslim Umah have to adopt an unified stand. He said that the holy mosque of Al-Aqsa Mosque, being the first Qibla of Muslim was awaiting again for a brave commander and leader like Salahuddin Ayyubi.

KHYBER: Like elsewhere in the country, Palestine Solidarity Day was observed across the district Khyber with a pledge to continue their support to Palestine till freedom of Al-Quds. 

In this connection a protest rally under the banner of JI Landi Kotal chapter was taken out here at Bacha Khan Chowk, Landi Kotal Bazaar on Friday. The participants included the party workers and general masses.

Speaking on the occasion, General Sectary JI, Khyber Ziaul Haq Afridi, Tehsil Ameer Haji Muhammad Hasan, Murad Hussain Afridi, Abdul-Rauf Shinwari, Haji Akbar and others categorically condemned the Israel air raids that martyred innocent people of Palestine including children and women. The participants marched in front of the local press club and after offering prayers for the freedom of Al-Quds, dispersed peacefully. 

Similarly, workers of JI beside members of civil society took out a protest rally from Markaz-e-Islami, Jamrud to Baab-e-Khyber where it turned into a public gathering. Those who led the rally including Muhammad Rafiq Afridi, Haji Muhammad, Safdar Afridi, Mubarak Shah and others disapproved the air strikes on Gaza conducted by the Israel forces, inflected heavy casualties on innocent Palestine.