Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has called for a nationwide strike on April 26 to protest against Israel’s military operations in Gaza and to demonstrate unwavering support for the Palestinian people. The announcement came during a massive rally held along the Islamabad Expressway on Sunday, where JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman addressed thousands of participants.
Rehman condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza, which he described as an outright genocide. He cited reports of over 51,000 Palestinian deaths since Israel launched its military campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack. Declaring the strike, he said: “We will enforce a complete strike from Chitral to Karachi,” urging people across Pakistan to participate in shutting down businesses to send a unified message of resistance.
He further encouraged a nationwide boycott of Israeli-affiliated products, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts including physical protests and digital activism. Rehman also called on the Pakistani government to officially recognize Hamas and allow it to open a representative office in the country, referring to the group as “a democratically elected force under international law.”
Several major trader associations, particularly in Karachi, have pledged support for the April 26 strike. All Karachi Tajir Ittehad and Karachi Electronics Dealers Association confirmed their participation following a meeting with JI Karachi Chief Monem Zafar. “We stand by the people of Gaza,” said Attique Mir, chairman of the traders’ alliance. “We will fully cooperate to make the strike successful.”
Rehman concluded his speech by asserting that the Muslim Ummah must no longer bow to external pressures. “We are not slaves to the West,” he said. “The followers of the Prophet (PBUH) do not accept subjugation by the US or Israel.”
