Al Quds Day observed worldwide

Millions of people across the world held huge rallies to mark ‘Al Quds Day’ to express solidarity with Palestinian people and condemn Israeli crimes. This year Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip has attached specific significance. 

The event observed on the last Friday of Ramadan is commemorated by Palestinian supporters every year.  

In Pakistan, political parties including Jamaat-e-Islami and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen staged rallies across the country in support of the Palestinians and against the Israeli killing in Gaza. 

The protests were held in different cities including Karachi, Quetta, Muzaffarabad, Kashmore, Bhalwal, Parachinar, Chichawatni, Rajanpur and Jacobabad.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to halt its oppression of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

He underscored Pakistan's unwavering support for Palestine, advocating for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The premier pointed to decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestine and denounced the international community’s silence in the face of human rights violations by the regime. 

On the outskirts of Srinagar in Indian controlled Kashmir, Muslims slammed the Israeli massacres in Gaza. They called for ending the Israeli violence and genocide in the Palestinian territory. 

A massive rally also took place in Mumbai, India. The protesters expressed support for the Palestinians and their cause. They also slammed the Israeli genocide in Gaza which has left 33,000 people dead since October 07, 2023.

Indonesia was also the scene of protests against Israel on Al Quds Day. The protesters denounced the regime’s war of genocide on Gaza. They blamed the US for standing by the regime.

The demonstrators displayed a poster depicting President Joe Biden as a clown during a rally outside the US embassy in Jakarta.

Malaysians also rallied to express solidarity with Palestinian people and the cause of Palestine.  

In Thailand, people took part in a rally in support of Palestinians in front of the Israeli embassy in Bangkok. 

Bahrainis demand closure of Israeli embassy. Theycame on the streets to voice support for Palestinians, particularly the residents of the Gaza Strip. They condemned the Israeli brutality against the Gazans. 

The protesters called for the closure of the Israeli embassy in Manama and the expulsion of the regime’s diplomats from the Arab country. 

Bahrain and the Israeli regime established diplomatic relations in 2020 as part of the United States-brokered Abraham Accords.

Millions of Yemenis also marked Al Quds Day. Protesters in the capital Sana'a condemned Israel’s brutal war on Gaza. 

In a statement, the protesters said the Palestinian nation has been subjected to the US-Israeli genocide for six months. 

The statement called on all Arab and Islamic countries to fulfill their responsibilities in the face of the savagery of the US and the Israeli regime.

Other countries in the Arab world including Iraq and Jordan saw huge protests on Al Quds Day. 

Protesters in Tanzania's coastal city of Dar es Salaam also rallied as they were holding the Palestinian flag. The protesters chanted anti-Israeli slogans and condemned the regime’s vicious crimes against Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Al Quds Day rallies in Nigeria turned deadly as police clashed with protesters. Reports suggest security forces killed several people in the city of Kaduna who were protesting against the Israeli crimes. 

Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the pro-Palestine demonstrators.

Europe also saw rallies marking International Quds Day. In Britain, demonstrators gathered outside the Home Office in Marsham Street before heading into Horseferry Road, along Millbank, past the front of the Houses of Parliament and finishing in Whitehall where speeches were delivered. Prior to the rallies, more than 500 officers were deployed in central London.

In Poland, protesters held banners as they gathered to spend night near the US Consulate in Krakow to protest against Israeli attacks in Gaza.

 

India constructing power project in occupied Kashmir despite objections by Pakistan

It is reported that work has started on a power project in Indian occupied Kashmir despite Pakistan's objections. Pakistan has raised its concerns with the World Bank, stating that India’s project was not in consistency with the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

India has undertaken to construct a power project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan has maintained that the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers are reserved for the country, while the Ravi, Beas and the Sutlej rivers are reserved for India under the IWT, signed in 1960 between the two countries.

Islamabad has repeatedly expressed its serious concerns over designs of the Pakal Dul, Ratle and Lower Kalnai projects, insisting that India would be using the reservoirs to create deliberate and artificial water shortage or cause flooding in Pakistan.

 “These projects have been designed in violation of the IWT,” said a government official.

Official sources have confirmed that Pakistan has approached the World Bank with a fresh protest.

However, Islamabad’s efforts do not seem to distract India as the Narendra Modi-led government has decided to go ahead with the construction of the 850 megawatt Ratle hydroelectric power project, approval of which came during a recent meeting chaired by the Prime Minister.

In 2019, India had accepted Pakistan’s request for inspection of the hydropower project on the Chenab basin.

After the visit of the Pakistani delegation, Islamabad had raised objections over Pakal Dul’s design being in violation of the Sindh Taas Agreement.

“Pakistan had demanded that the freeboard height should be reduced from seven-feet to two-feet and the installation of the seal way gates should be done with an additional 40 metres in order to bring 1,620 metres and align it with sea level,” said a government official.

While Pakistan is hopeful that its fresh protests with the World Bank would yield results and help in stopping India from what it calls, blocking the country’s water through construction of its reservoirs, Modi inaugurated the projects and is all set to start the construction work also.

 Pakistani government officials maintain that this is New Delhi’s rivalry with Islamabad and its ambitions to create hurdles for the country by blocking its water and using it for flooding whenever it deems fit.