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Electoral symbols are allocated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to political parties and independent candidates participating in general elections.
Major political parties in the country have established electoral symbols, including a bat for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), an arrow for Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and a tiger for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
All the electoral symbols appear on the ballot paper, giving the voters the choice to stamp the symbol of their choice. The ballot paper also has names, but 40% of the country’s 241 million population is illiterate, so symbols can be easier to identify.
Thousands of candidates participate in elections, as do dozens of political parties and millions of voters. A single ballot paper offers voters a wide range of choices.
How does the ECP allot electoral symbols?
According to Section 216, political parties can submit an application to the election commission to apply for electoral symbols.
Registered political parties can claim the same election symbol as allocated to them in the previous polls.
On the other hand, an independent candidate can apply for allotment of an election symbol from the symbol list published by the ECP.
If the two independent candidates want the same electoral symbol, then priority will be given to the candidate who has previously taken part in elections.
Imran Khan, former Prime Minister and Founder Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), engaged in an informal conversation with media representatives during the Toshakhana case hearing in Adiala Jail on Monday.
He voiced concerns over the political and legal developments, particularly critiquing the Supreme Court’s decision regarding PTI’s electoral symbol, referring to the decision as an “umpire giving a no-ball”.
Khan suggested that the Supreme Court should have formed a five-member bench rather than a three-member one, to address controversies surrounding PTI’s electoral symbol. These remarks were made amidst the Toshakhana case proceedings.
He again reiterated his belief that the current situation in Pakistan is part of what he referred to as the “London Plan”, alleging that elements of this plan include his imprisonment before elections, the perceived decline of PTI, and the exoneration of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Imran Khan further highlighted the alleged misuse of state resources, asserting that Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had obtained bulletproof vehicles from the ToshaKhana without being held accountable.
“Something very bad is going to happen to them,” he predicted. He demanded that an open trial of the cipher case should be conducted so that the people know the facts. “They ask me why did I not keep the cipher secret.”
He alleged that the expose of former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and U.S. State Department official Donald Lu is responsible for what is happening with PTI now, adding that his party is the only one that has consistently struggled for 27 years to attain its current position.
Imran Khan remarked that recent decisions by decision-makers fail to accurately gauge public sentiment.
He predicted significant repercussions for those involved and emphasized the power of social media in bringing transparency to such issues.
Talking about the upcoming elections, Imran Khan claimed that PTI candidates are not being allowed to run their campaign properly, but he anticipates that the people’s dissatisfaction will become evident on February 8th.
Despite facing various challenges, Imran Khan stated that PTI has not been entirely eradicated as the people continue to support the party. However, he voiced concerns about the electoral process, stating that PTI intended to give tickets to 850 candidates for the national and provincial assemblies in the general elections but were allegedly not allowed to consult with registered members in jail.
In response to a question, Imran Khan ruled out the possibility of an electoral alliance with Bilawal Bhutto’s party.
He also reiterated his claims about biased umpires in the political arena, asserting that Nawaz Sharif has never played a match without favoritism.
In a related development, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced that the party’s candidates would contest the upcoming elections as independent candidates. Qureshi, while referring to the SC verdict, commented on the perceived lack of a level playing field for the PTI and criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for its stance on intra-party elections.
He further said that his daughter’s nomination papers were snatched when she went for scrutiny. She was compelled to leave her native city, Qureshi added. “We accept the court’s verdict. History will certainly write its judgment on the SC’s verdict [on PTI election symbol]”
Jail Trials Challenged
Former Prime Minister and Founder Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has taken legal action by challenging the jail trial notifications related to the Toshakhana and Al-Qadir Trust cases at the Islamabad High Court.
Both notifications, about the jail trial, have been contested by Imran Khan in the Islamabad High Court.
Notably, the notification for the jail trial in the Al-Qadir Trust case was issued on November 14, while in the Toshakhana case, it was issued on November 28, as per the petitions filed on behalf of the PTI leader.
The legal challenges assert that the notifications for the jail trial are deemed illegal and are allegedly motivated by malice.
Imran Khan’s legal team has requested the court to declare the jail trial notifications null and void.
Additionally, they seek a halt in the proceedings of the trial court until a resolution is reached on this matter.
Imran Khan has named Chairman NAB (National Accountability Bureau) and others as respondents in both petitions, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the Toshakhana and Al-Qadir Trust cases.
The 2024 elections are approaching in Pakistan, and political parties have nominated candidates from different constituencies to contest the polls. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has allotted election symbols to all the candidates. Female candidates are also taking part in the elections set to take place on February 8, 2024, SAMAA has reported.
After the 2018 general elections, there were 11.74 million more women than men on the voter rolls, bringing the overall number of registered voters in the country to 127 million from the previous 106 million.
Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) has approved six general seat tickets for female candidates, including PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Saira Afzal Tarar, Nosheen Iftikhar, Shazra Mansab Ali, Tehmina Doultana, and Syeda Shehrbanu Bukhari.
On the other hand, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) allotted its ticket to Shazia Marri, Dr Sawera Prakash for PK-25 in Buner, Sajida Tabassum for PK-39 in Mansehra, Shaista Raza for PK-48 in Haripur, Dr Ghazala Atta for PK-49 in Swabi-I, Aneela Shahzad for PK-54 in Mardan. The PPP candidate Shazia Tehmas for NA-24 in Charsadda, Mehr Sultana for NA-38 in Karak, and Farzana Shireen for NA-39 in Bannu to contest the election for a National Assembly (NA) seat.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) allotted tickets to 21 women to take part in the upcoming general election.
In Punjab, former MNA Iman Tahir Sadiq from Attock, former MPA Seemabia Tahir from Rawalpindi, former adviser to Prime Minister Usman Dar from Sialkot Rehana Imtiaz Dar, former MNA from Lahore Alia Hamza Malik, former provincial minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Sidra Faisal from Kasur, Mehr Bano Qureshi daughter of Shah Mahmood Qureshi from Multan, Ayesha Nazir Jatt daughter of former MNA Nazir Jatt from Vahari, Mrs. Talat Basra wife of Shaukat Basra from Bahawalnagar, and former MNA Kanwal Shuzab from Bahawalpur will contest.
PTI allotted National Assembly tickets to Mrs. Qamar Javed Waraich from Rahim Yar Khan (RYK), Mrs. Humira Ahmad Khan from Muzaffargarh, Mrs. Anbar Majeed Niazi, wife of ex-MNA Majeed Niazi from Layyah, and former minister Zartaj Gul Wazir from Dera Ghazi Khan (D.I. Khan).
PTI also approved National Assembly tickets for Umbreen Malik from Khairpur, Hamida Masood Shah from Sanghar, Maherul Nasa Baloch from Tharparkar, Nazish Fatima Bhatti from Matiari, Rozeena Bhutto from Tando Ulyar, Shabana Nawab Bajarani from Dadu, and former MNA Shandana Gulzar from Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa NA-30 Peshawar.
In the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) inaugural rally for the upcoming general elections in Okara, the party’s Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz strongly criticized political rivals Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) without naming it, calling it a “terrorist party” and questioning the allocation of an electoral symbol to such an entity.
The PML-N, which had faced delays in launching its campaign, is now gearing up for the February 8 polls and is set to reveal its manifesto.
The delay in the campaign kick-off was attributed to the PML-N’s extensive deliberations on ticket distribution and seat adjustments with the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).
Party leader Nawaz Sharif, concerned about his party being labeled the ‘favorite’ of the establishment, aims to dispel the impression during the election campaign, according to insider sources.
During her address to party supporters, Maryam Nawaz, without explicitly naming the PTI, asserted that a “terrorist party” should not be assigned an election symbol like other political entities.
She hurled an array of criticism at Imran Khan during the address and blamed him for orchestrating and carrying out the May 9 violent attacks.
She mocked Khan for snatching of his electoral symbol, saying that his election symbol should not be a bat but a “baton”.
The PML-N chief organizer also dubbed Imran Khan’s party a group of terrorists. “A terrorist group could not be given a political party’s electoral symbol,” she said.
“Your electoral symbol should be the watch that you stole or the petrol bomb that you hurled on police officials,” she said, adding “what goes around comes around”.
لوگوں کو چور چور کہنے والے کی اپنی باری آئی تو گھڑی بھی نہیں چھوڑی , خانہ کعبہ کی تصویر والی گھڑی بیچ کے پیسے کھا گیا۔ لوگوں کی ماؤں بہنوں بیٹیوں کو جیلوں میں ڈالا , باپ کے سامنے گرفتار کیا سزائے موت کی چکیوں میں پھینکا۔ اپنی باری آئی تو بزدلی کی داستانیں رقم کرکے ذلت سے فرار… pic.twitter.com/cDzqHXsgQH
“Your electoral symbol was not bat but baton with which you attacked military installments. The baton has been snatched from your hand,” she maintained.
Maryam Nawaz emphasized that the PTI’s current situation is a consequence of its own actions and warned that the nation would not tolerate a political party manipulating its internal elections without consequences.
Referring to Imran Khan without explicitly mentioning his name, Maryam stated, “He was used to getting bails […] he was used to facilitation. But neither the facilitation nor the facilitators remain.”
اوکاڑہ والو! سنا تھا نہ کہ اللہ تعالیٰ کی لاٹھی بے آواز ہوتی ہے اب دیکھو آواز بھی نہیں آرہی اور قدرت کی لاٹھی چاروں طرف اپنا اثر دکھا رہی ہے۔جو جتنا بڑا ظالم ہوتا ہے وہ اتنا بڑا بزدل بھی ہوتا ہے۔چیف آرگنائزر مسلم لیگ (ن) مریم نوازشریف#پاکستان_کے_لئے#اوکاڑہ_میں_امید_سحرpic.twitter.com/M2k0B958s7
She asserted that now only the law and the nation would determine the outcomes.
Maryam assured supporters that if the PML-N emerged victorious in the upcoming polls, it would prioritize issues such as good education, cheap electricity, women empowerment, and an improved living standard. She stressed that the PML-N did not seek revenge and believed in facing challenges truthfully and honestly.
The PML-N leader also highlighted that Nawaz Sharif’s “real umpire” was the public, expressing confidence that the people would bring him back to power.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has officially withdrawn its petition from the Supreme Court in which it sought a level playing field in the upcoming general elections.
The party’s decision was revealed during the hearing on Monday, after counsel Latif Khosa conveyed the PTI’s intention to pursue the matter through what he referred to as the “court of 250 million people.”
The three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and including Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Musarrat Hilali, presided over the hearing.
During the proceedings, Khosa gave words to PTI’s discontent, claiming that the court had deprived the party of 230 seats through a previous judgment. “We do not want to fight this case in your [Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa’s] court. Thank you very much,” said Khosa.
He highlighted the alleged humiliation faced by the party, citing instances where symbols like glass, eggplant, and a bowl were assigned to PTI candidates.
CJP Qazi Faez Isa inquired whether the PTI intended to pursue the case, to which Khosa responded that he had been instructed to withdraw the application. “We came to you for a level playing field for fair and transparent elections,” he remarked.
Chief Justice Isa reminded the PTI that the court had repeatedly sought evidence of intra-party elections, emphasizing that the judges should not be held responsible for the verdict.
He asserted that the court’s role is to ensure elections are conducted within the confines of the law, and if the PTI disliked the decision, they should consider legislative changes.
Khosa argued that the court’s decision would undermine democracy and claimed that the PTI was being pushed out of parliamentary politics. He disclosed that the party’s leaders would now participate in elections as independent candidates. “You are destroying all the institutions of Pakistan,” the CJP told Khosa. Meanwhile, Justice Musarrat Hilali raised reservations over the ECP’s conduct and its handling of matters related to PTI ahead of the polls on February 8. “The Election Commission is not fair. It is running behind one party,” she remarked during the hearing, asking whether the electoral body can see any other parties or not. “Does the Election Commission not see other parties?”
The Supreme Court had previously revoked PTI’s cricket bat symbol, citing irregularities in the party’s internal elections held in the preceding year. The court asserted that the PTI failed to comply with the Election Commission of Pakistan’s directive to conduct intra-party polls in 2021.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan has alleged that his family was subjected to an attack while he was present in the Supreme Court on Saturday. The incident unfolded during the hearing of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea challenging the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) verdict favoring the PTI in the bat symbol and intra-party polls case.
Upon receiving the distressing update, the PTI chief promptly left the premises of the Supreme Court. During a conversation with his colleague and fellow party member Barrister Ali Zafar, Barrister Gohar expressed concern over the safety of his family.
“News has just come from home. People came in four double cabins and took the computer,” he stated, highlighting the severity of the incident.
Barrister Gohar informed his colleague that his sons and nephews had been physically assaulted during the attack. The PTI lawyer, addressing the courtroom, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that some people reached his home and beat up his family members.
X (former Twitter) user Salaar Khan wrote, “Barrister Ghar Ali Khan informs the Supreme Court that unidentified personnel have entered his home and beaten up his family. He asks the court for indulgence and is told people are looking into it. He begs the court for indulgence to explain. The scene cuts.”
Barrister Ghar Ali Khan informs the Supreme Court that unidentified personnel have entered his home and beaten up his family. He asks the court for indulgence and is told people are looking into it. He begs the court for indulgence to explain. The scene cuts. pic.twitter.com/nth6XjPLCR
In response to the unsettling news, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Isa expressed disapproval, stating, “Whatever happened should not have happened.” He then summoned the additional attorney general to address the matter promptly.
The additional attorney general assured the court that he would investigate the incident and left the courtroom. The reported attack on Barrister Gohar Khan’s family adds a concerning dimension to the ongoing legal proceedings, and further details are expected to emerge as the investigation unfolds.
As the nation braces for the upcoming general elections, Karachi police is facing a substantial shortage of 14,300 security personnel, including female officers.
As per The News, Khadim Hussain Rind, the additional inspector general (AIG) of Karachi, revealed that the city’s police force had initiated robust security arrangements for the elections scheduled for February 8.
However, he underscored the significant shortfall in required personnel.
“Over 46,076 police personnel are needed for the election security plan, while Karachi Police have only 31,776. The required number of female police personnel is also not available,” said the AIG.
He elaborated on the specific needs for female personnel, highlighting, “At least 3,200 female personnel are required for security arrangements at women’s polling stations while we have 1,200 female personnel. The KPO faces a shortage of 2,000 lady cops.”
As per the security plan, eight police personnel are required for the most sensitive, six for sensitive and four for normal polling stations each. In Karachi, there are 2,033 most sensitive stations, 3,008 sensitive stations, and 308 polling stations are declared normal, while 16,264, 18,048, and 1,232 personnel respectively are required for them.
Rind disclosed that 35,544 personnel would be assigned to duty at 5,349 polling stations in the megacity.
Additionally, a quick response force is set to be deployed at polling stations, with 3,892 personnel assigned to 2,774 buildings. Furthermore, 4,210 police officers will be placed on reserve duty under the supervision of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), accompanied by nine Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), 16 Superintendents of Police (SPs), 57 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), and 107 Station House Officers (SHOs).
The AIG outlined plans to allocate 2,430 personnel for various election commission offices, welfare duties, hospitals, and miscellaneous tasks.
However, he emphasized the glaring shortage of 14,300 police personnel and revealed that multiple options were under consideration to address this gap. Possibilities include deploying lady health workers, and polio staff, or hiring private security guards, anti-encroachment, excise police, anti-corruption, or forest department personnel to bolster the existing security measures.
As the elections draw near, efforts are underway to mitigate the shortfall and ensure the safety and integrity of the electoral process in Karachi.
As the general elections loom closer, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has disclosed its roster of candidates for both the National and Punjab Assemblies, drawing attention for granting tickets to more than 30 family members, as reported by The News.
The announcement was made by Ishaq Dar, PML-N’s Head of Election Cell, marking a pivotal moment in the party’s preparations for the upcoming political showdown.
In a notable revelation, 36 candidates have familial ties, including father-son, father-daughter, husband-wife, brother-in-law, mother-son, father-in-law, and uncle-nephew relationships among them.
Candidates of PMLN who are father-son, father-daughter, husband-wife, brother-in-law, mother-son, father-in-law and uncle-nephew.
Nawaz Sharif and his daughter will contest the National Assembly polls from Lahore.
Similarly, Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz will…
PML-N stalwarts Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz are set to contest the National Assembly polls from Lahore, while PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz will participate in both the National Assembly and provincial assembly polls.
Malik Saif ul Mulook Khokhar, the President of PML-N Lahore, and his son Faisal Ayub, have secured tickets for the National and provincial assemblies, respectively.
Afzal Khokhar and his nephew Irfan Shafi Khokhar from Lahore are also contesting on PML-N tickets.
From Dera Ghazi Khan, former minister Awais Leghari and his son Amar Leghari are nominated for National Assembly seats in Rajanpur.
Additionally, former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique is vying for a National Assembly seat, while his brother Salman Rafiq is contesting for a provincial assembly seat, both from Lahore.
In Muzaffargarh, former minister Syed Basit Bukhari and his daughter Syeda Shahr Bano Bukhari have been fielded as candidates.
From Bahawalpur, Iqbal Chanar is nominated for a National Assembly seat, with his son Zaheer Iqbal Chanar is contending for a provincial assembly seat.
Chaudhry Khalid Javed Waraich and his son Uqba Waraich are PML-N’s candidates for the National and provincial assemblies from Toba Tek Singh, respectively.
Yaqoob Shaikh is contesting for the National Assembly from Jhang, while his wife Rashida Yaqoob is running for a provincial assembly seat.
Notable leaders like Daniyal Aziz didn’t make it to the list.
PML-N ticket distribution extends to various regions, including Kasur, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa, Lodhran, Khanewal, and Sheikhupura, with candidates such as Rana Hayat, Begum Tahmina Daultana, Amjad Farooq Khosa, Siddique Baloch, and Mian Javed Latif, among others.
Notably, the PML-N has introduced eight new faces in Punjab for National Assembly tickets, including Bilal Azhar Kayani and Attaullah Tarar. The party has also allocated tickets to six women for the National Assembly and three for the provincial assembly in Punjab, showcasing a diverse candidate pool.
On January 11-12, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) heard the genocide case filed against Israel by South Africa.
On Day 1, South Africa’s legal team put forward its case, pointing at the atrocities being committed against Palestinians in Gaza by Israel.
Israel is accused of committing genocidal acts during their military operations which included mass killings of Palestinians, bodily and mental harm, forced displacement and food blockade, destruction of the healthcare system, and preventing Palestinian births.
On Day 2, Israel defended itself against the charges, arguing that South Africa “ignored” the incident of October 7 and that Israel had the right to defend itself, adding that the court should put provisional measures against South Africa, accusing it of having ties with Hamas. Israel did not submit any evidence to support its claims that Hamas was the cause of the attacks in Gaza whereas South Africa submitted video evidence of Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
They also blamed Hamas for the high civilian death toll in Gaza, claiming that Israel did not bomb hospitals and that they enabled humanitarian aid.
What’s next?
Al Jazeera explains that even though South Africa’s case against Israel can take years, an “interim measure” intended to halt Israel’s attack in Gaza can be taken “within weeks”.
If the interim measure is implemented, Israel will be legally obligated to put an end to its offences. And while the “court’s rulings are final”, it has no authority to impose them, nonetheless.
On the other hand, if the court does not implement an interim measure, “it could still decide it has jurisdiction and proceed with the case”, adds Al Jazeera’s explainer.
American and British forces have launched fresh raids on Yemen’s capital, Houthi rebel forces confirmed on Saturday, a day after the allies carried out dozens of strikes on the country.
The latest raids targeted Al-Dailami airbase in Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since 2014, a statement released on their official media stated. “The American-British enemy is targeting the capital, Sanaa, with a number of raids,” Al-Masirah TV posted on X, formerly Twitter, citing its correspondent in Sanaa.”The American-British aggression targeted the Al-Dailami base in the capital, Sanaa,” it added.
Raids on Yemen follow weeks of Houthi attacks on Israel’s ships in the commercial Red Sea in protest against the war on Gaza.
The strike on a Houthi radar site comes a day after scores of attacks across the country heightened fears that Israel’s aggression on Gaza could engulf the whole Arab region.
The Houthis warned that US and British interests were “legitimate targets” after the initial strikes. Britain, the United States and eight allies said strikes carried out on Friday had aimed to “de-escalate tensions”, but the Houthis vowed to continue their attacks. Hussein al-Ezzi, the rebels’ deputy foreign minister, said the United States and Britain would “have to prepare to pay a heavy price”.
The rebels have controlled much of Yemen since a civil war erupted in 2014 and are part of the “axis of resistance” against Israel and its allies.
Violence involving these groups in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria has surged since the war in Gaza began in early October.
BREAKING: Massive United States fleet of warships seen off the coast of Yemen.
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UN chief Antonio Guterres called on all sides “not to escalate” in the interest of regional peace and stability, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday, days after adopting a resolution demanding the Houthis immediately stop their attacks.
At the meeting, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield warned that no ship was safe from the threat posed by Houthis to shipping in the Red Sea.
Russian ambassador Vassili Nebenzia denounced the “blatant armed aggression” against the entire population of the country.
Red Sea attacks and the politics of the Middle East
The Houthis have intensified attacks on what they deem Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea- through which 12 percent of global maritime trade normally passes- since October 7.
The United States and Britain launched strikes on Friday that targeted nearly 30 locations using more than 150 ammunitions, US General Douglas Sims said, updating earlier figures, and President Joe Biden said he did not believe there were civilian casualties.
Biden called the strikes a successful “defensive action” after the “unprecedented” Red Sea attacks and said he would act again if the Houthis continued their “outrageous behaviour”.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Houthis’ breach of international law warranted the “strong signal”, with his government publishing its legal position justifying the strikes as lawful and “proportionate”.
Nasser Kanani, spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, said the Western strikes would fuel “insecurity and instability in the region” while “diverting” attention from Gaza.
The Houthis fired “at least one” anti-ship ballistic missile in retaliation on Friday that caused no damage, according to Sims.
The United States said it did not seek conflict with Iran, with National Security Council spokesman John Kirby telling MSNBC there was “no reason” for an escalation.
Middle Eastern leaders voiced concern at the violence, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan describing the strikes on Yemen as disproportionate and saying: “It is as if they aspire to turn the Red Sea into a bloodbath.”
Saudi Arabia said it “is following with great concern the military operations” and called for “self-restraint and avoiding escalation”. The kingdom is trying to extricate itself from a nine-year war with the Huthis, though fighting has largely been on hold since a truce in early 2022.
Palestinian freedom fighting group Hamas said it would hold Britain and the United States “responsible for the repercussions on regional security”.
‘Death to America’
Hundreds of thousands of people, some carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles, gathered in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Friday to protest, many waving Yemeni and Palestinian flags and holding portraits of Huthi leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi, an AFP journalist reported.
5 million people protested in Yemen today. Does The United States and Israel know what they got themselves into? This is terrifying, pic.twitter.com/MBRw9f8X5r
In Tehran, hundreds rallied against the United States, Britain, and Israel, burning the three countries’ flags outside the UK embassy while voicing support for Gazans and Yemenis, an AFP correspondent reported.
In Gaza, Palestinians lauded Houthi support and condemned Britain and the United States. “No one is standing with us but Yemen,” said Fouad al-Ghalaini, one of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians left homeless by Israel’s bombardment of Gaza City
