Nobel Prize winner and education activist Malala Yousafzai has issued a statement on Israel’s war on Palestine.
In her letter, she called for both sides to hold a ceasefire and prevent innocent lives from being lost, writing that it is cruel how Palestine and Israel children have been caught in the middle.
The Nobel Prize winner reflected on her own upbringing during a wave of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkha, writing “We woke up to the sounds of mortar shells, saw our schools and mosques destroyed by bombs. Peace became something we could only dream about.”
“War never spares children,” Malala further wrote. “Not those kidnapped from their homes in Israel, not those hiding from airstrikes or without food and water in Gaza.”
While many are appreciating Pakistani celebrities for raising their voice for Palestine, others have their priorities displaced and are moral policing Mahira Khan for not wearing a dupatta to the pro-Palestine protest outside the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday.
Yasir Hussain and Ahmed Ali Butt stepped forward to defend their colleague and hit back at trolls moral policing Mahira for not wearing a dupatta.
“Bohot achy,” remarked Hussain sarcastically. “You get your summer looks with shorts and Mahira should wear a dupatta in the heat of May.”
“Get out of clothing and talk about real issues,” asserted Yasir, adding: “Khuda ka khof karo (Fear God).”
Ahmed Ali Butt also schooled trolls attacking Mahira, saying: “Jin logo ko dupatta nazar nahi aya unko aqal kahan se nazar ai ge? Sharam apni nazar main dhoondo, aurat kay libas main nahi. #growup”
Meanwhile, Sheheryar Munawar, Ayesha Omar, Sanam Jung among others celebrities were spotted at the protest. Yasir could not attend the demonstration due to his surgery after suffering a hand injury.
Yasir protested, however, with a Palestinian flag on his bandage.
Mathira also defended Mahira, saying: “It’s the mindset that needs to be changed. Stop being so sex hungry in your mind, stop it!!”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced a ceasefire on Friday in Gaza after 11 days of violence, Al Jazeera has reported.
Pakistani celebrities have been very vocal about the atrocities of Israel on Palestinians. They came out with hundreds of people in Lahore and Islamabad to March in solidarity with the Palestinians on Monday.
We have spotted Fawad Khan, Sadaf Fawad, Hania Aamir , Osman Khalid Butt , Maryam Nafees, Ali Rehman Khan, Armeena Rana Khan and Dananeer Mobeen.
Many other celebrities have supported Palestine through their social media handle.
Here are pictures of artists who supported Palestine in their ways.
“Such an overwhelming turnout in Islamabad,” said Hania Aamir. She was holding a placard that read: “Ethnic cleansing, colonial occupation, genocide. Call it what it is.”
The march and protests were held in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore. Fawad, his wife Sadaf and Ammara Hikmat attended the protest in Lahore, while Hania, Ali Rehman, Dananeer, Osman Khalid, Maryam etc. were spotted in Islamabad and many other stars expressed solidarity with Palestine through their social media.
In Manchester, Armeena Rana Khan lit candles for Palestinian children who have been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
Celebrities including Maya Ali, Mahira Khan, Ayeza khan, Ayesha Omar, Hania Aamir, Sheheryar Munawar, Shehzad Roy and many other celebrities called out the Israeli violence in Palestine through their social media accounts.
With the constant airstrikes pounded on Gaza, at least 212 Palestinians, including 61 children, have been killed since the attacks began. About 1,500 Palestinians have been wounded.
More than 58,000 Palestinians have been displaced by Israeli air strikes that have destroyed or badly damaged nearly 450 buildings in the Gaza Strip, according to the UN aid agency.
About 47,000 of the displaced people have sought shelter in 58 UN-run schools in Gaza, Jens Laerke, spokesman of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters.
