'Stop the Genocide in Gaza': Thousands of students call for independent Palestinian state at Karachi rally

A rally organized by the student wing of a religious party in Karachi drew thousands of participants on Saturday, who marched toward the US Consulate to protest the ongoing war in Gaza and advocate for an independent Palestinian state.

Attendees chanted slogans against the US and Israel, carrying Palestinian flags and large banners reading “Stop the Genocide in Gaza.” The rally was organized by Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, affiliated with the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party, and included students from various universities, professional education institutions, and colleges.

The JI and its student wing have previously held similar demonstrations to protest the war in Israel, which has claimed nearly 38,000 lives, mostly women and children, since it began on October 7, 2023.

“The Pakistani student community and youth will not accept any two-state solution and will only accept an independent and sovereign Palestinian state,” said Hasan Bilal Hashmi, the top leader of the student wing in Karachi, during the rally, according to a press release.

Other participants praised the Palestinian resistance and expressed their continued support, highlighting the JI student wing's consistent support for Palestinians since the conflict began. They called for the Muslim world to unite to help them.

Later, the marchers delivered a memorandum to the US Consulate, urging the American administration to cease its support for Israel. This memorandum was signed by numerous students, including many who participated in the demonstration.