Massive Youm-e-Quds rally draws thousands to MA Jinnah Road as speakers urge Pakistan to take a clear stand
Pakistani girls hold toy guns during a rally to mark Al-Quds Day (Jerusalem), a commemoration held annually on the last Friday of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Karachi on March 13, 2026.PHOTO: AFP
In a sea of flags, fiery speeches and resounding slogans, thousands poured onto Karachi’s streets on Friday to mark Youm-e-Quds on the eve of Jumatul Wida, turning the city’s main artery into a powerful show of solidarity with Palestinians and a platform for sharp criticism of Israel and its allies.
Echoing chants and waving Palestinian flags, thousands of demonstrators marched as the city joined nationwide observances of Youm-e-Quds, a day dedicated to expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Organised by Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Quds Pakistan, the central Azadi-e-Qibla-e-Awwal rally began at Numaish Chowrangi and moved along MA Jinnah Road to Tibet Centre, where a large concluding gathering was held.
Pakistanis hold portraits of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a rally to mark Al-Quds Day (Jerusalem), a commemoration held annually on the last Friday of Ramazan, in Karachi on March 13, 2026. — AFP
People from all walks of life, including religious scholars from different sects, political leaders, lawyers, doctors and members of civil society, participated in the march alongside thousands of women, men and children.
Addressing the participants, clerics said Youm-e-Quds was not only a day to raise voices for Palestinians but also for oppressed people across the world. They said freedom-loving individuals globally had responded to the call of late Iranian leader Imam Khomeini by highlighting the plight of the Palestinian people.
Read More: Karachi traffic police announces road closures, diversions for Youm-e-Quds rally
Speakers said that the Muslim world was facing difficult challenges but maintained that the presence of “aware youth linked to the axis of resistance” would prevent what they described as expansionist plans such as “Greater Israel”.
When the rally reached Tibet Centre, a large concluding gathering was held where speakers criticised the policies of the United States, Israel, Britain and India, accusing them of aggression against the Muslim world.
They also discussed regional political issues and called on the government of Pakistan to clarify its stance on international developments.
Women drag coffins wrapped with the national flags of US and Israel, during a rally to mark Al-Quds Day (Jerusalem), a commemoration held annually on the last Friday of Ramazan, in Karachi on March 13, 2026. — AFP
Several speakers demanded that parliament convene a joint session to discuss the situation in the region and Pakistan’s foreign policy position. They also emphasised continued support for the Palestinian cause and reiterated calls for the liberation of Palestine.
Participants carried Palestinian flags, placards and portraits of Iranian leaders while chanting slogans against the US, Israel and India. Effigies and flags representing those countries were also set on fire during the demonstration.
At the venue, young students paid tribute to children killed in the Iranian city of Minab, while dozens of school bags and flowers were placed in their memory.
Among those who addressed the gathering were ISO central president Ameen Shirazi, Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Maulana Amin Shaheedi, Maulana Nazir Abbas Taqvi, Karachi Bar Association President Aamir Nawaz Warraich, and Maulana Mirza Yousuf Hussain, among others.
