Protesters of the ‘Save Gaza March’ ended their sit-in at Islamabad’s D-Chowk after six hours on Sunday, announcing that they would stage another sit-in in the federal capital on March 31.
“The only agenda of our movement is to save Gaza,” Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ghani told reporters.
Several pro-Palestine protesters converged at Islamabad’s D-Chowk on Sunday, with some scuffling with the police who sought to keep them from blocking the junction of Jinnah Avenue and Constitution Avenue.
Protesters managed to stage a sit-in on the road after police tried to stop them and the negotiations with the JI senator failed.
Islamabad’s iconic public square location is close to several important government buildings like the Presidency, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Parliament, the Supreme Court, and foreign embassies. Over the years, the spot has made it an ideal venue for political leaders and civil society to raise their voices.
Police seized the sound system of the protesters as they marched towards the site, however, the latter managed to arrange another sound system to make their voice heard.
The religio-political party’s protest continued till 8pm after they held an iftar at the protest site with dates and water, saying that the people of Palestine were holding their iftar on debris.
“We are ready to go to jail,” Ghani said and added that police tried to stop them when they entered the public square in the city. “We are not afraid of arrests.”
He lamented that the people of Gaza have no drinking water, demanding Pakistan to approach the International Court of Justice against Israel. He also demanded that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation should also start hearings against Israel’s war crimes.
When the sit-in ended, the Islamabad police tried to arrest Ghani while he was leaving for home. He allegedly had an altercation with police when they tried to detain him.
Policemen started shouting when his son started making videos of the incident.
In a statement, the police said that a ban on public gatherings was imposed under Section 144 of the CrPC. They added that action was being taken against congregations held without permission.
They claimed that the protesters tried to enter the high-security zone, pelted stones at them, and blocked the road. According to police, one of their constables was injured.
It added that no one can be allowed to block the road and highways.
Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s offensive has killed almost 32,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
Earlier this week, Russia and China vetoed a US-led draft resolution at the Security Council on a ceasefire in Gaza, with Moscow accusing Washington of a “hypocritical spectacle” that does not pressure Israel.
Russia’s ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, said that the United States was doing nothing to rein in Israel, mocking Washington for speaking of a ceasefire after “Gaza has been virtually wiped off the face of the Earth.”
