Islamabad: Former ambassador and ex-president of Azad Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan has stated that there is a divide between Western governments and their people on the issue of Gaza. He emphasized that the Gaza conflict has turned into a global movement.
Sardar Masood Khan expressed these views while addressing the first (international) session on the second day of the Palestine International Conference, organized by Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan.
He warned that after Gaza, the next target will be Gulf countries, and Arab nations are under immense pressure. He further stated that the issue of Palestine is not just a Palestinian concern but a global one, and international laws have been violated following the attack on Gaza.
Speakers at the conference included Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Firasat Shah, former South African ambassador Mohamed Dengor, Turkish MP Dogan Bekin, Dr. Huzaifa Aakash from Syria, American activist Jeffrey Shaun King, Faziall Dawjee from South Africa, Malaysian scholar Professor Qamar Zaman and others.
Sardar Masood Khan praised Jamaat-e-Islami for organizing the International Palestine Conference, acknowledging the party's long-standing efforts, including rallies, in support of Palestine. He reiterated that the issue of Palestine is not limited to Palestinians but is a global concern.
He highlighted that even before the establishment of Pakistan, the country had been vocal in its support for Palestine, and the issue remains close to the hearts of Pakistanis. He also recalled that Jamaat-e-Islami's late leader, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, initiated the observance of February 5 as Kashmir Solidarity Day.
He stated "Israel is a product of colonial power. Jews were persecuted in Europe, but they occupied Palestine. Pakistan will never forget Palestine. The Palestinians have been deprived of their land by Israel."
He further stated, "Israel has been supported with military weapons by the U.S. in the war. There are now talks of evacuating everyone from Gaza and relocating them to Jordan.
'Muslim countries should stand with the people of Gaza. International laws have been violated after the attack on Gaza, and their authority has collapsed. What has happened in Gaza is genocide, he added."
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Firasat Shah welcomed the guests to the session, stating that a freedom struggle is also being fought in occupied Kashmir, while on the other side of Pakistan, Afghanistan fought for its freedom and successfully gained it. He mentioned that Jamaat-e-Islami has organized protests for Palestine in every part of Pakistan over the past 15 months.
He emphasized that what has happened in Gaza is genocide. Despite committing genocide in Gaza, Israel has failed to achieve its objectives and has been defeated, he added.