The armed forces should permit Pakistani Mujahideen to fight in the war torn-area of Palestine in order to help their Palestinian brethren in their hour of need, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmed has demanded. He was speaking at the "Palestinian March" organised on Sunday by the JI. The march started from the Quaid-e-Azam's mausoleum and ended at Tibet Centre.| He does a lot of eye-rolling and face-making in this speech ... |
| He's much braver when he's two thousand miles away from the fight ... |
Barricades were placed on main Shahrah-e-Quaideen, while tankers were cross-parked on the road leading to Governor House. Despite Sunday, heavy traffic congestion was witnessed on Sharea Faisal as traffic was diverted to connecting arteries.
The protestors carried placards and banners, and shouted slogans against Israel and the US. Children wore headbands inscribed with the first Kalma and Jihad. They carried placards inscribed with "I hate US and Israel" and banners depicting hatred for the US, Israel and Western countries.
The participants carried Hamas banners, expressing solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinians. They also torched US and Israel flags, as well as an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The emotionally-charged protestors also hurled shoes at portraits of Olmert and US president George Bush.
The JI Amir called for waging jihad against Israeli troops, saying that all the Muslims of the world should stand united against Israeli aggression. He demanded that the government part ways with the US and adopt pro-people policies to face external and internal challenges confronting the country.
He further said that Israel had accepted defeat by announcing a ceasefire. He vowed that the struggle of Muslims would continue till the independence of the first Qibla of Islam in Jerusalem. Ahmed also warned India against imposing war on Pakistan. It may be mentioned here that Israel declared its own unilateral ceasefire after three weeks of aggression that killed some 1,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
He also condemned the Organisation of Islamic Countries and the Arab League for remaining silent spectators on Israeli aggression against Palestine, and termed their silence as criminal negligence. "The entire world is protesting Israeli aggression but the Pakistan government has adopted a callous attitude while toeing the US policy," Ahmed said.