LAHORE:
The merchants in parts of Lahore observed a closing strike on Saturday in a call from the Jamaat-E-Islami (JI) to express solidarity with the Palestinians who face ongoing attacks in Gaza.
The main keynote markets and shopping centers, including Badami Bagh, one of Punjab’s largest auto parts markets, as well as the Bazaar Urdu, Mall Road, Hall Road, Anarkali, Shahalam Market, Brandreth Road and several markets within the walled city, remained closed throughout the day.
Many merchants and merchants expressed conviction for the ongoing military actions of Israel in Gaza.
A merchant, Muhammad Ishaq, said he remained in full solidarity with the Palestinian people. However, he argued that closed strikes were ineffective and only damaged the local economy without offering tangible benefits to the Palestinians.
Sajjad Rashid, merchant of Liberty Market, said: “We completely condemn the atrocities in Gaza, but a stronger and more unified political movement of Muslim leaders would have a much greater impact than a few hours of market closures in Pakistan.”
Other merchants echoed similar feelings that emphasized the need for a unified and decisive response of Muslim world leaders.
The latest Gaza figures highlight the devastating cost of the 18 -month military campaign in Israel. According to the Gaza government media office, at least 61,700 Palestinians have been confirmed dead, with thousands more missing and allegedly dead under the rubble. Gaza’s health authorities reported that 117,248 Palestinians have been injured. Gaza’s health infrastructure has been paralyzed.
