Red Zone sealed in Islamabad ahead of Jamaat-e-Islami’s pro-Palestine rally

Security measures were intensified in Islamabad on Sunday as authorities sealed roads leading to the Red Zone in anticipation of a pro-Palestine demonstration announced by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) political party.

The march, titled the "Gaza Solidarity March," was scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM, with participants intending to protest outside the US Embassy against Washington’s support for Israeli military actions in Gaza.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers, while containers, barbed wire, and concrete barriers were used to block access to the high-security area that houses government offices and diplomatic missions.

In a video message, JI General Secretary Amirul Azeem confirmed the protest, urging citizens to participate peacefully. He noted that similar marches in Karachi and Lahore had remained orderly.

JI also announced a nationwide shutter-down strike for April 22 to show solidarity with Palestinians. The announcement was made by JI leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman during a rally in Karachi.

Pakistan has reiterated its condemnation of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and continues to call for a ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian aid, and the establishment of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital.