Daily Times

Pakistan on Sunday condemned Israeli “adventurism” in the Middle East region, terming the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon a “reckless act”, constituting a major escalation in the region.

A statement released by the Foreign Office read, “Pakistan strongly condemns the growing Israeli adventurism in the Middle East. Its unbridled attacks on civilian populations and disregard of international law have reached alarming levels.” It noted that for the past several days, Israel had “engaged in unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon, relentlessly targeting civilian population centers, and undermining its stability and security”.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of Israeli aggression and the people of Lebanon,” the statement said.

“Pakistan continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Lebanon,” it added, urging the United Nations Security Council to stop Israel from its “adventurism in the region and violations of international law”.

Nasrallah’s death marks a major blow not only to Hezbollah but also to its alleged backers in Iran. He was a leading figure in the Tehran-backed “Axis of Resistance”, helping to project Iranian influence across the Middle East.

Lebanese health authorities confirmed six dead and 91 wounded in the initial attack on Friday – the fourth on Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs in a week and the heaviest since a 2006 war.

More than 700 people were killed in strikes over the past week, authorities said.

Meanwhile, thousands of people protested in different cities of Pakistan after Hezbollah confirmed that its longtime chief had been killed by an Israeli air strike in Lebanon. Around 4,000 people gathered in Islamabad and 3,000 thousand in Karachi during rallies and funeral prayers for Nasrallah.

“We stand against what Israel is doing in Palestine and Lebanon, this is why we are here today,” 27-year-old Taskeen Zafar said during the rally in Islamabad.

Police fired tear gas and protesters pelted stones during the rally in Karachi.

Karachi Police said in a statement that the religiopolitical party, Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen (MWM), organised the rally in the metropolis.

“[The rally] was going to start at PIDC intersection, before moving towards Mai Kolachi Road via the ICI Bridge before culminating at the US Consulate,” the statement said.

The police had already set up containers and created temporary barriers on MT Khan Road and Mai Kolachi Road leading toward the consulate. However, protesters tried removing the obstacles which led to the clashes.