ISLAMABAD: Ameer of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Hafiz Saad Rizvi, on Sunday vowed his party will not abandon solidarity with Palestine, accusing the government of effectively recognising Israel through its actions and announcing that the TLP march is directed against Israel only, not against the state. He said leaders of the Christian community have contacted the party to join the protest.

Saad Rizvi claimed several party activists were killed during demonstrations after being denied timely medical aid. He named Muhammad Talha as having died on October 11 and alleged that Baba Sadaqat Ali and Syed Hashmat were shot, while bodies and injured activists were reportedly taken from hospitals and some were unaccounted for. He said many wounded remain missing.

The TLP chief defended the protest as an expression of solidarity with Gaza, saying demonstrations in cities including Sydney, Wellington, London, Vienna and Oslo showed global support for Palestinians. He insisted the movement carried no political demands and that its sole purpose was to register solidarity with Gaza.

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Rizvi accused the government of heavy-handed tactics — including demolitions of houses, arrests of family members, and raids on seminaries — and said nine responsible parties’ homes were being demolished. He claimed his party had postponed an earlier planned march during recent India-related tensions but vowed to press on, noting past protests that helped secure recognition of Israel as a “terrorist” actor.

Displaying what he said were shell casings and bullets, Saad Rizvi asked why the TLP would be barred from marching in Islamabad, questioning whether TLP members were not Pakistani citizens. He called for public support and reiterated calls for a boycott of Israeli products nationwide.