ISLAMABAD: A high-profile meeting of the Friends of Palestine and Kashmir was convened in Islamabad, chaired by Siraj-ul-Haq, the former Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan.
The gathering was attended by leaders from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), as well as prominent figures from Pakistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), and international representatives of the Palestinian cause.
The APHC delegation was led by Convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi, with senior members including Farooq Rahmani, Pervez Ahmad, Haji Muhammad Sultan, Mushtaq Ahmad Butt, Imtiaz Ahmad Wani, Zahid Safi, Muhammad Ashraf Dar, and Syed Gulshan Ahmad.
The AJK delegation featured key leaders such as Dr. Mushtaq Khan, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami AJK/Gilgit-Baltistan, former Ameer Abdul Rashid Turabi, and Secretary General of Azad Kashmir Jamaat-e-Islami Jahangir Khan, along with Raja Zaheer Khan. Bilal Al-Astal, Director General of Friends of Palestine, and Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of its Political Bureau, were also present.
During the meeting, Bilal Al-Astal and Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais highlighted the ongoing Palestinian resistance, calling the Tofan Al-Aqsa movement a critical turning point in exposing Israel’s genocidal actions since 1948. “We have successfully shown the world the oppressive face of Israel, which has led many nations to recognize the Palestinian state. We urge the free people of the world to acknowledge our right to freedom,” they stated. They drew parallels between the Palestinian and Kashmiri struggles, emphasizing, “The brave Kashmiri people understand our pain, as our struggles are deeply connected.”
Siraj-ul-Haq, addressing the gathering, reaffirmed Pakistan’s unshakable support for the people of Palestine and Kashmir. “The 220 million people of Pakistan stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the oppressed peoples of Kashmir and Palestine in their quest for freedom. The entire nation will continue its steadfast support until Kashmir is liberated from India’s oppressive occupation and Palestine from Israel’s tyranny,” he declared.
