Thousands turn up at Pakistan for Palestine

In a massive show of solidarity with Palestinians, thousands of Karachiites turned up at the unprecedented ‘Pakistan for Palestine’ demonstration at the Karachi Press Club

(KPC) on Wednesday, demanding an immediate ceasefire from Israel and an end to the bombing of Gaza. The demonstrators, including representatives of the the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), National Trade Union Federation (NTBA), Home-Based Women Workers Association and the Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) along with thousands of citizens, called for an immediate end to the occupation and demolition of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian settlements, including Sheikh Jarrah, and for an end to the forced eviction of local Palestinians.

The idea for the protest started from social media and ended up at the KPC, with a large number of citizens, mostly young college students, from across a cross-section of society condemning Israeli onslaught of violence. Holding placards condemning the genocide of Palestinians, the protesters chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The crowd was unprecedented and the numbers kept going up, as a result of which the areas around Zainab Market, Saddar and Shaheen Complex saw gridlocks for hours.

Neha Mohammad and her husband Abdul Kaleem Shiekh, a young Karachi couple, were accompanied by their children and family members at the protest. Talking to Dawn.com, Mohammad said she saw the call for protest on social media. Commenting on the situation in Palestine and the killing of innocent children, she said, “We were feeling helpless sitting at home. This is the least we can do to show support to the Palestinians.”