Nation ready to defend country: JI

LAHORE: Pakistan will give a strong and fitting response to any form of Indian aggression. India, under American influence, seeks to impose war on Pakistan. The US, India and Israel are enemies of global peace, and the liberation of Palestine and Kashmir has become inevitable.

These views were expressed by Jamaat-i-Islami Punjab Emir M Javed Kasuri, accompanied by Dr Babar Rasheed, Zikrullah Mujahid, Nasrullah Gauraya and Farooq Chauhan, during a press conference in connection with the nationwide shutdown strike announced by Jamaat-i-Islami against the aggression of India, the US and Israel.

Kasuri strongly condemned the Pahalgam incident and said India is trying to isolate Pakistan by using it as a pretext. He emphasised national unity, urging the end of political differences and support for the armed forces, who are backed by 250 million Pakistanis. ‘The entire nation is ready to defend every inch of Pakistan,’ he said. He criticised the Indian media for irresponsibly blaming Pakistan moments after the Pahalgam incident, making the entire episode suspicious. India has violated the Indus Waters Treaty by unilaterally suspending it, constituting water aggression. Pakistan must approach the International Court of Justice, as Article 12 of the treaty prohibits any party from terminating it unilaterally. The international community must take notice of India's actions.

Kasuri also urged the Pakistani government to sever diplomatic ties with India and unite all political forces to expose Indian aggression globally. ‘India's actions reinforce suspicions about its hybrid warfare tactics,’ he said. He noted India routinely blames Pakistan without evidence, using it as a scapegoat for its security failures.

The JI leader highlighted atrocities in occupied Kashmir and the Modi government’s systematic oppression of minorities within India. He mentioned that the false flag operations — including Pulwama, Rajouri, the Samjhauta Express, and the Mumbai attacks — were exposed by India’s own former officials like ex-CBI officer Satish Verma.

Kasuri warned that Indian propaganda could have dire consequences for regional peace, saying South Asia cannot afford any escalation. He announced that Jamaat-i-Islami and the trader community would observe shutdown strike today (Saturday) against US, Indian, and Israeli aggression.

He condemned Israel’s atrocities in Gaza, where since March 18, Israeli forces have turned nearly 30% of the region into a ‘security buffer zone,’ striking over 1,200 targets. Since October 2023, over 61,000 have been killed, 113,274 injured, and more than 1.8 million displaced.

Kasuri called on human rights organisations, the UN, and the global community to break their silence. He urged the Pakistani government to

courageously hold the US accountable for supporting Israel and raise the issue strongly at the diplomatic level.

‘This is a matter of our faith. Israel’s war crimes have shattered all international legal boundaries. Its narrative proves the intent isn’t just to defeat Hamas but to occupy Gaza entirely,’ he said. He urged the Muslim world to take a united and leading role in foiling Israel’s designs on Gaza.