Mayor Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, expressed deep concern over the plight of the oppressed and helpless Palestinian people today, stating that nothing could be more tragic than the current situation where no one seems willing to alleviate their suffering.
He urged the United Nations and global powers to wake up from their slumber; otherwise, they would also bear the responsibility of jeopardizing global peace by overlooking this critical and grave humanitarian issue for their convenience. This negligence has allowed Israel to act with impunity in the region.
He emphasized that today was dedicated to expressing solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians in Gaza and other areas. He commended the women members of the City Council for staging a vigorous protest outside the KMC (Karachi Metropolitan Corporation) head office against Israeli oppression, conveying to the entire country and the world that the Karachi City Council condemns the severe atrocities against Palestinians and will continue to protest against Israel’s brutal actions.
This statement was made on the occasion of Palestine Solidarity Day during a meeting with women council members who participated in the rally led by Pakistan People’s Party’s Chief Whip, Ms. Musarrat Niazi. Mayor Wahab was presented with the Palestinian flag and a traditional Palestinian scarf. He remarked that the continuous bombings in Gaza and other Palestinian territories have rendered children, women, and the elderly unsafe. He called for an immediate ceasefire in the region and for Palestinians to be granted the right to live.
He stressed that the Muslim world must wake up to the deplorable situation in Gaza and Palestine, acknowledging that such circumstances could befall anyone. He urged all Islamic countries to set aside their mutual group and sectarian differences and unite as a single force, sending a clear message to oppressive states like Israel and their allies that the brutalization of Muslims in any part of the world would not be tolerated.
Mayor Karachi recalled that former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had united the Muslim world under one banner and made efforts to empower it through the grand Islamic Summit Conference in Pakistan. He emphasized that we must follow in Shaheed Bhutto’s footsteps and work towards uniting and strengthening the Muslim community, with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) playing a vital role.
He concluded by stating that it is not enough to merely condemn oppression wherever it occurs; action is needed to stop the oppressor. Karachi is active in this regard, and whether