JI censures police action on Gaza marchers

Says authorities resorted to ‘unconstitutional and undemocratic’ approach

PESHAWAR:

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Monday denounced the Islamabad police crackdown on protesters from their party and Gaza Bachao Tehreek – Save Gaza Movement – condemning it as an act of ‘barbarism’, and decrying it as both as ‘unconstitutional and undemocratic’.

In a statement issued from Al-Markaz-e-Islami, Peshawar, K-P JI amir Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan and Secretary General Abdul Wasay lamented government’s “indifference” over the Israeli atrocities in Gaza, and noted that those who were raising their voice on the issue were being “suppressed”.

“They (authorities) are being more loyal than the king”.

A day earlier, protestors belonging to the JI and Save Gaza Movement — clashed with police as the former tried to enter Islamabad’s Red Zone to protest against the government’s inaction amid a brutal genocide of beleaguered Palestinians in Gaza.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed led the protest demonstration on behalf of the JI. The Save Gaza Movement was represented by its central leader Humera Tayyaba.

Upon the gathering of demonstrators, the police closed the gate leading to D-Chowk to prevent them from moving towards the Parliament House.

Mushtaq Ahmad held negotiations with the Federal Police SSP and requested permission to proceed towards the Red Zone.

However, the police officers refused to grant permission for the demonstrators to enter the Red Zone, which led to a confrontation between the protesters and the police.

According to the JI spokesperson, the police baton-charged peaceful protesters, resulting in injuries to some JI workers. As a result, the protesters also pelted stones at the police.

The protestors later staged a six-hour long sit-in near D-Chowk and broke their fast on the street. They announced staging a similar sit-in at the same place also next Sunday.

Condemning the incident, the JI on Monday termed the Islamabad police action as an act of ‘barbarism’.

“Storming the sit-on of Save Gaza Movement, disturbing the programme by removing the sound system and threatening Senator Mushtaq Ahmed is unconstitutional and undemocratic,” the JI statement said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2024.