Image of Karachi rally, October 15 -- screenshot via Twitter
By Global News Service
Tens of thousands mobilized in the southern port city of Karachi, Pakistan, on October 15 in solidarity with Palestine. While denouncing the Israeli bombardment on Gaza that has killed over 3,000 people including at least 1,030 children, the protesters carried the banners of “Free Palestine” and expressed their unwavering solidarity.
Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist political party, organized the march but the solidarity march subsequently gained widespread support across civil society and from trade unions. The demonstration was supported by trade associations, including Sindh Farmers Front, Pakistan Steel Labor Organization, and National Labor Federation, along with other religious and political groups. The protesters chanted slogans such as “Labbaik ya Gaza, Labaik ya Aqsa (here I am Gaza, here I am Aqsa)” in unison.
The demonstrators denounced the Israeli aggression that escalated after Hamas militants broke the siege and attacked military installments and settlements.
“The state belongs to Palestinians,” the protesters shouted.
According to protesters, the disregard for ongoing war crimes in Gaza reflects the double standards of the international community.
Pakistan is among the few countries in South Asia that has maintained a clear position on Palestine’s sovereignty and condemned Israeli occupation. The country never recognized the legitimacy of Israel ever since it was created in 1948.
The massive rally was just one of many that have taken place in solidarity with the Palestinian cause across Pakistan. On October 13, thousands attended protest rallies in the cities of Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore, and Islamabad.
from the Peoples Dispatch / Globetrotter News Service