KARACHI: Civil society groups and religio-political parties held widespread protests across Pakistan on Thursday after Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla bound for Gaza and reportedly detained former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan along with hundreds of international campaigners.
Demonstrations broke out in major cities including Islamabad and Karachi, where men, women and children marched with Palestinian flags and chanted slogans against Israel.
The flotilla, comprising more than 40 vessels carrying food and medicine, set sail in late August with around 500 activists, parliamentarians and lawyers on board. Organizers said Israeli forces intercepted them overnight Wednesday, including one carrying Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg. Images live-streamed from the boats showed Israeli troops boarding ships as passengers huddled in life vests with their hands raised.
“Last night, Israel carried out an open act of terrorism by detaining more than 500 people from 44 countries,” Monem Zafar, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief in Karachi, said at a protest march that drew thousands of people.
“Where is the International Court of Justice?” he asked.
