Political parties back PM’s stance on Israel

Leaders from various political and religious parties as well as prominent figures belonging to different walks of life on Sunday endorsed the stance of Prime Minister Imran Khan on not recognising Israel.

Speaking at the Palestine Solidarity Conference organised by the Palestine Foundation Pakistan at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the Jamaat-e-Islami’s headquarters in Karachi, they emphasised upon solidarity among Muslim countries.

JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, who chaired the conference, pointed out that the issue of Palestine was not only a religious one but also that of humanity.

He said Israel could not be accepted at any cost, and Pakistan’s stance on Palestine was ideological. He also said that recognition of Israel by two or more countries did not remove the distinction between right and wrong.

Rehman said that the black sheep among our ranks calling for paving the way to recognise Israel could not be called friends of Pakistan. He said that all Muslim countries must unite against Israel.

The Pakistan Peoples Party’s Taj Haider said that those speaking in favour of Israel were indirectly justifying the atrocities of Israel against Palestinians. He appealed to the media to play their vital role in strengthening solidarity among Muslim countries.

The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen’s Maulana Baqar Zaidi pointed out that leaders of not all but just a few Muslim countries had recognised Israel, and their citizens were also against their decision.

He said that different terrorist organisations were formed by the enemies of Islam, but all of them had failed to achieve their nefarious designs. He stressed that Muslim countries must unite against the Zionist state. Palestine will soon be free from Israel’s atrocities, he declared.

The Awami National Party’s Younus Buneri expressed his gratitude that all the religious, political and other parties were on the same page on the issue of Israel. He said that there will be no peace in the world unless Palestine is freed.

Religious leader Sajjad Shabbir Rizvi said that the clear stance of PM Khan was commendable. He said that Pakistanis had complete sympathies with the oppressed people of Palestine.

Israr Abbasi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lamented that none of the previous governments in the country had raised the Palestine issue properly at international level.

Palestine Foundation Secretary Sabir said on the occasion that if any referendum is held in Pakistan, 99 per cent of the people of the country will vote against the Zionist state.

He said the Muslim countries recognising Israel would regret their decision in the future. He also said the premier had reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing position that relations with Israel could not be established without resolving the Palestinian issue according to the will of Palestine’s people.

Shah Nawaz Farooqi, Rao Kamran, Matloob Awan, Syed Shabbar Raza, Umer Sadiq, Azhar Hamdani and others addressed the Palestine Solidarity Conference as well.