Confusion over a supposed public holiday on April 26 has now cleared after the Karachi Commissioner’s office rejected a fake notification circulating on social media.

The bogus document, which falsely claimed a public holiday in protest of Israeli aggression in Gaza, was widely shared online. Authorities have urged the public to disregard the misinformation, clarifying that the Commissioner’s House has no connection to the forged notice.

Meanwhile, the All City Traders Alliance has distanced itself from the April 26 strike call announced by Jamaat-e-Islami. Addressing a press conference, alliance leader Sharjeel Goplani stated that the business community had already staged its protest on April 7 and had no involvement in the April 26th planned shutdown.

“Our timber market will remain open and all business activities will continue as usual,” Goplani said. “The business sector is already under immense pressure and cannot afford further closures.”

JI Munim Zafar announces strike in Karachi on April 26

He appealed to traders to stay away from politically motivated strikes and continue operating as per normal schedules.

On the other hand, Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Chief Munim Zafar Khan reaffirmed the party’s call for a nationwide shutter-down strike on April 26, from Karachi to Chitral, to protest the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza. The party aims to awaken a global conscience and show solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians.

Zafar condemned US military support to Israel, stating that 90% of Gaza has been destroyed during the ongoing conflict, with hospitals and civilian shelters bombed and over 55,000 Palestinians martyred. He criticised the United Nations for its inaction and called out Muslim rulers for their silence.

He also urged a boycott of Zionist products and slammed India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as an act of hostility. “Pakistan is a nuclear power with strategic importance, but we lack the conviction to act,” he said.

JUI-F and JI launch ‘Ittehad-e-Ummat’ platform, announce April 27 rally

Jamaat-e-Islami emphasised that its protest is not only a national movement but part of an international call to action against Israeli war crimes and India’s water aggression. The party also reiterated its opposition to the 26th constitutional amendment and voiced support for affectees of the Baberlo Bypass project.

With a divided response from political and commercial groups, April 26 is expected to witness parallel demonstrations of protest and defiance, with Karachi’s business community largely opting to remain open despite the strike call.