Pakistan Declares National Day of Mourning to Support Palestinians

The government of Pakistan, along with allied political parties, has declared a national day of mourning on August 2 (Friday) to show solidarity with Palestinians and condemn the ongoing Israeli state-sponsored terrorism in Palestine.

In a consultative meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a joint declaration was issued to honor the memory of Ismail Haniyeh, chief of Hamas Political Bureau, who was assassinated in Tehran on Wednesday. The nation will offer a funeral prayer in absentia for Haniyeh after Friday prayers.

The meeting also resolved to present a resolution in Parliament to express full solidarity with the Palestinian people. Participants strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli brutalities in Palestine over the last nine months and expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. They viewed his assassination as a conspiracy to sabotage efforts to stop Israeli atrocities and establish peace in the region.

Prime Minister Sharif described the ongoing Israeli state-sponsored terrorism in Palestine as a tragedy for the Muslim Ummah. The meeting called for immediate humanitarian aid to be provided to unarmed Palestinians and decided that Pakistan would continue to supply relief goods and take effective measures for medical assistance. It was further decided that injured Palestinians would be brought to Pakistan for treatment, and Palestinian medical students would be admitted to medical colleges in Pakistan with financial support to continue their education.

Participants of the meeting condemned Israel's actions, stating that the ongoing genocide and state-sponsored terrorism violate United Nations resolutions, International Court of Justice decisions, and international laws. They criticized the international community for remaining silent and called for a clear stand against Israeli brutalities to uphold the viability of international laws and institutions for future generations.

The meeting also urged the international community, including the United Nations, to break their silence and immediately stop the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by Zionist forces, bringing Israel to justice for war crimes.

Leaders and senior representatives of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Pakistan Muslim League Zia, and National Party attended the meeting.