FARUKH SHEHZAD

• In veiled reference to Istanbul peace conference, Hibatullah says Taliban must be taken into confidence for participation

KABUL, MAY 2021: Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday warned the US of violating the 2020 peace agreement with regards to troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In his Eid al-Fitr message, the group's leader said Taliban considers the withdrawal of foreign forces as "a good step."

"Unfortunately, the American side has so far violated the signed agreement repeatedly and caused enormous human and material loss to civilians," said Akhundzada, who has not been seen in public for years.

If the US failed to live up to its commitments, it should be held accountable for the consequences, he added.

The US administration under then-President Donald Trump signed in February 2020 a deal with the Taliban, agreeing to withdraw all its troops by May 1, 2021 in return of security guarantees.

While violence in war-torn Afghanistan has not subsided since then, US President Joe Biden has announced to complete the military exit by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Meanwhile, in a veiled reference to the now postponed Istanbul peace conference, he said Taliban must be taken into confidence in advance so that they assess the proposal and make a final decision.

A western diplomat in Kabul told Anadolu Agency that the Taliban are being convinced to attend the meet in Istanbul, which was delayed last month because of reluctance by the insurgents.

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ISLAMABAD, MAY 10: Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud has said his country could play a role in reducing tensions between Pakistan and India.

He said so while responding to a question during an interview with Pakistan Television that dealt in considerable detail with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s three-day official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Talking about the often poor relations between Pakistan and India, Prince Faisal praised the two nuclear-armed neighbours for reviving and reinstating a ceasefire along the restive Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region. He termed the move “an excellent step in the right direction”.

Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Washington recently confirmed that his country had played a key role in bringing about the ceasefire along the LoC. Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba said the ceasefire would hopefully lead to “restoring diplomats and getting the relationship back to a healthy level”. The UAE is a close ally of Saudi Arabia.

Prince Faisal describes Imran’s visit as an extremely important one for bilateral relations

During the interview taken via video link, Prince Faisal characterised Prime Minister Khan’s visit to his country as “an extremely important one in the history of bilateral relations”.

“The visit of Imran Khan is extremely important in the history of brotherly relations. We have an excellent visit of the prime minister and many, many subjects (have been) covered,” he said.

During the talks in Saudi Arabia, he said, the two countries’ leaders focused on economic cooperation, facilitation of investment and trade.

During the visit the two countries worked together to enhance cooperation not just on issues of bilateral interest but also problems facing the entire Ummah, said the Saudi foreign minister.

Terming an increase in the number of blasphemous acts in Western countries “a dangerous trend”, the minister praised Mr Khan’s role in efforts to counter Islamophobia. “The OIC should be used to address such issues of intolerance,” he said.

“There must be a dialogue on how to address the escalating tone of disrespect (against) Islam and the Muslim nations need to come together to address the issue.

“We are very proud that Pakistan is taking it to the heart,” adding that Saudi Arabia was working closely with PM Khan to address the concerns.

He said the bilateral agreement for establishment of Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council was important to “institutionalise and nurture the political, security cooperation and most importantly economic cooperation”.

Referring to the joint statement issued on Saturday, Prince Faisal said both the sides would work to activate the council in order to realise the full potential of relations between the two countries and achieve tangible results.

Asked about the green initiatives of Saudi government, he said Pakistan was also playing a leading role in that regard. “I am sure we will work together to align both the (Saudi and Pakistani) initiatives and to learn from each other and benefit from each other’s experiences. Strong bilateral relations mean that we can partner on issues not only bilateral but also of global nature.”

He told the interviewers that Saudi Arabia had implemented significant labour reforms, showing flexibility and allowing the workers to “transfer their work from one employer to other”.

Under its vision 2030, he said, the Saudi government planned to widen its employment base, which would open up opportunities for Pakistani nationals as well as businesses. He said Pakistan had a very important role to play for a peaceful Afghanistan and the kingdom would work closely with the international community to help Afghanistan “find security and stability”.

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ISLAMABAD, MAY 10: Urging the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take action over the rising incidents of Islamophobia in different parts of the world, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday strongly condemned the Israeli attack on Palestinians outside the Al Aqsa mosque during the holy month of Ramazan and reiterated his call on the international community and the Muslim world to take steps to protect the Palestinians and their legitimate rights.

The prime minister, who is currently on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, expressed the hope that Pakistani diaspora would soon see a changed and progressed Pakistan where rule of law would prevail.

On the third day of the visit, the prime minister and his wife performed Umrah and doors of Khana Kaaba were opened specially for him and members of his delegation.

Envoy in S. Arabia asked to help Pakistanis send money through Roshan digital account

Earlier, the prime minister tweeted: “Strongly condemn Israeli forces’ attack especially during Ramazan on Palestinians in Qibla-e-Awaal, Al-Aqsa Mosque, violating all norms of humanity & international law. We reiterate support for Palestinian people. International community must take immediate action to protect Palestinians & their legitimate rights.”

Prime Minister Khan also met OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen in Makkah and called upon the organisation to play its rightful role in addressing the serious situation in Palestine.

Highlighting the increase in the incidents of Islamophobia in different parts of the world, he stressed the importance of a concerted response from the OIC. It was informed that following the prime minister’s letter addressed to the heads of state of Muslim countries, the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Niamey had adopted a unanimous resolution on observing March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

Prime Minister Khan said, adding that the international community should show a common resolve against intolerance and incitement to violence on the basis of religion or belief and work together for interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.

The secretary general informed the prime minister about OIC’s activities in support of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. “The OIC has steadfastly supported the Kashmir cause and in this context the Niamey CFM culminated with a comprehensive resolution on the issue,” he added.

Later, Prime Minister Khan met Secretary General of the World Muslim League (WML) Mohammad Al Issa and reaffirmed Pakistan’s support and solidarity for the people of Palestine and underscored the imperative of protecting their legitimate rights.

Mr Khan stressed the importance of bridging the gap in understanding and communication with reference to Islamophobia. He urged the WML secretary general to work towards engaging with all

segments of the Western society, in particular the academia, civil society organisations, intelligentsia and politicians.

The MWL secretary general lauded the prime minister’s espousal of Ummah’s causes and said he enjoyed an eminent stature in the Muslim world.

Imam-i-Kaaba Al-Shaikh Abdur Rahman Al Sudais, with a group of other Imams of Masjid Al Haram, called on Prime Minister Khan in Makkah. The prime minister hoped for early return of normalcy, enabling all Muslims to benefit from the blessings of Masjid Al-Haram. He requested the Imam for special prayers for Pakistan’s progress and development and the well-being of its people.

Al-Shaikh Abdur Rahman praised PM Khan’s initiatives on combating Islamophobia and promoting interfaith harmony.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday strongly condemned the Israeli attack on worshippers at the Al Aqsa mosque and reiterated that Pakistan stood steadfast in support of the Palestine cause. “Condemn in strongest terms attack on innocent worshippers in Al-Aqsa Mosque, first Qibla of Islam, by Israeli occupation forces in the holy month of Ramazan,” he said in a tweet, adding that such brutality was against very spirit of humanity and human rights law.

The foreign minister welcomed the summoning of urgent meeting of Arab League and called it a timely step. Arab League, OIC and other countries championing the human rights must take notice of the situation.

Corrupt mafia and status quo

Addressing a gathering of Pakistani community at a ceremony held in connection with Roshan Digital Account, Prime Minister Khan said the country was passing through a decisive moment and the struggle against corrupt mafia and status quo would succeed soon, leading to Naya Pakistan. “It is a decisive moment, the old status quo and a mafia are resisting and trying to save themselves. But public supports my party and the government in the struggle for rule of law,” he claimed.

He said the system based on humanity survived and ensured prosperity, whereas the rule of jungle led to nowhere. He said the corrupt elements had been united in (Pakistan) to save their skins.

“I assure you that no one can stop this change, due to mass awareness. Social media has brought about a change as information travelled very fast. The youth and social media have been the main ingredients of our party’s success,” he added.

Appreciating the role of about nine million overseas Pakistanis in the prosperity of the country, the prime minister said they possessed huge potential and had been the biggest asset. He said their potential was not fully tapped and no efforts were made in the past to pursue them to invest in the country.

Mr. Khan asked the Pakistani ambassador to Saudi Arabia and State bank of Pakistan governor to keep a close liaison with Pakistani diaspora in Saudi Arabia so that their problems could be addressed and they could send more and more remittances through Roshan Digital accounts.

The prime minister said the country’s economy was being stabilised as it had passed through the most difficult times with consistent strengthening of its reserves. He thanked the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for supporting Pakistan by giving loans and providing oil on deferred payment. “If these countries had not supported us, Pakistan would have defaulted, entailing severe consequences,” he added.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, the prime minister said, the fragile economies were devastated worldwide, adding that in neighbouring India daily caseloads were increasing at an alarming level. Pakistan was among a few countries which had navigated in the Covid-19 scenario with much difficulty, he said, adding that Pakistan’s exports were on the rise and the economy had recovered.

The prime minister said the economic indicators of the country were showing improvement. “Construction industry is providing jobs and the low-cost housing imitative would provide housing facilities to low-income groups,” he added.

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ISLAMABAD, MAY 9: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry wondered on Sunday how the government could trust PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif’s guarantee to return to the country when he hadn’t been able to fulfil the same assurance for his brother PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior and Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar, he said: “The question is how can Shehbaz Sharif’s guarantee [to return] be accepted when he couldn’t fulfil another absconder’s guarantee?

“When he was giving Nawaz’s guarantee, we had the hope at the time that NAB (National Accountability Bureau) and the court would call him and ask that he had given guarantee for Nawaz and had to come back with him so where has he (Nawaz) gone?”

The minister said the opposition had the same stance and pointed to PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s call for Nawaz to come back during a conversation with PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz.

“The opposition itself thinks that Nawaz is a mafroor (fugitive).”

Chaudhry alleged that Shehbaz had previously visited London due to complaints of “back pain” and yet videos later surfaced of him “running in the streets; there was no problem”.

He said Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid was much more ill than Shehbaz and yet was continuing her treatment while staying in Pakistan and was also steadfast on the Covid-19 front so “does it not suit Shehbaz and Nawaz, who have led the government for a long period, that they get their treatment done in Pakistan?”

The Lahore High Court on Friday had granted Shehbaz ‘conditional permission’ to travel to the UK for medical treatment from May 8 to July 3.

Citing “procedural hiccups”, however, the Federal Investigation Agency had stopped him on Saturday (yesterday) from leaving the country for London. Immigration officials had told him that he could not board the flight as his name was on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).

Chaudhry praised NAB chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal and the current NAB administration for “cementing their place” and recovering Rs400 billion and depositing it in the treasury. He also lauded the courts for their decisions in cases such as the Panama Papers case, saying a perception was created that the legal system was part of the “war against corruption”.

“In some instances, however, people think the system hasn’t changed and this is the reality as well,” he said, adding that the manner in which permission was granted to Shehbaz to go abroad was a reflection of the “rot in the system”. He also questioned the speed with which his application was heard and decided.

The minister said giving permission to Shehbaz to go abroad would mean “setting aside the rights of thousands of prisoners. We forget them, acknowledge the class system and allow Shehbaz to go abroad while the rest of the prisoners don’t have the right to even get treatment outside of jail.”

He said the way the PML-N leader had come out of jail gave the impression that powerful people could “get out by breaking the web, while small flies are getting trapped in this web”. “Our society will be destroyed because of this and will face immense harm if the common man thinks there is one law for the powerful and another for weaker people,” he stressed.

Chaudhry said the government had great respect for all court decisions but there were legal options available for this decision and it was its legal right to appeal it.

“Our stance is clear. We say the law should be equal for the Sharif family and for the common people, and the small thieves should get the same rights as the big thieves.”

Govt to appeal conditional permission order

In his remarks, Akbar said all court orders like this “are challenged in court and there is a process to it”.

He said the reason the government was shedding light on the issue was due to what he alleged were attempts by the PML-N to “mislead the nation”. He claimed that Shehbaz had not properly assisted the court.

The adviser clarified that the Supreme Court had deliberated on the PNIL, and standard operating procedures existed for it.

“Because issues have been raised regarding it and some clarifications are [needed], the government will appeal this order on those basis and after that it will be seen what the next step will be.”

Commenting on the release of the detailed LHC verdict on Shehbaz’s post-arrest bail petition in a money laundering reference and responding to accusations of a lack of evidence presented by the government, Akbar said he had brought forward 55 volumes of which 54 volumes contained evidence.

He also said the detailed bail order had been against Supreme Court instructions to keep high court bail orders short and to not comment on the merits of the case because that would make it prejudicial. “This is challengeable, this is a ground for appeal,” Akbar added.

He said the detailed order had framed three questions: could bail be granted on facts and merits?; is there medical ground in the case on which bail could be granted?; and could there be bail on the basis of a delay in trial?

He said that for questions two and three, the bench had agreed with the decision of Justice Asjad Javed Ghural, with four judges saying that there was no medical ground in the case or any reason to grant bail due to the length of the case. According to Akbar, this created a contradiction with the order for conditional permission to go abroad since it was given on medical grounds.

“This is a clear contradiction, same accused and the same matter. This is a first and very fair ground for appeal.”

He added that Shehbaz going abroad would mean the trial wouldn’t be able to proceed and this was “another consideration which should have been in front in the case and because these people did not assist the court, this makes an appealable ground”.

Akbar also addressed numerous points in the detailed verdict and provided rebuttals and explanations. He observed that the order stated that Shehbaz’s income source was not investigated, but the IO report did contain the details on his assets accumulation. “This is clear proof that all these contradictions are present and this is an appealable order,” he emphasised.

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RIYADH, MAY 9: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has sent a cable of congratulation to President Sadyr Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic on the anniversary of his country's Victory Day.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the president constant good health and happiness and the government and people of Kyrgyzstan steady progress and prosperity.

Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy prime minister and minister of defense, has sent a cable of congratulation to President Sadyr Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic on the anniversary of his country's Victory Day.

In his cable, the Crown Prince wished the president constant good health and happiness and the government and people of Kyrgyzstan steady progress and prosperity.

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DUSHANBE, MAY 9: President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon has congratulated the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov and the people of Kyrgyzstan on the 76th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. This was reported by the presidential press service.

"May 9 is a significant date in the modern history of our countries. I am convinced that the Kyrgyz-Tajik relations of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation will continue to develop and grow in accordance with the fundamental interests of our peoples," said Emomali Rahmon's congratulatory message.

Emomali Rahmon wished Sadyr Japarov good health, happiness and new successes, and all citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic - peace, well-being and prosperity.

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BAKU, MAY 9: Azerbaijan celebrating May 9, 2021 as the 76th years since the Victory over fascism in 1941-1945. On this significant day, we pay tribute to the memory of each of the soldiers, officers and ordinary citizens who have shown courage and heroism, having endured enormous difficulties in winning the war, one of the most terrible wars in human history.

The Azerbaijani people made an important contribution to this victory, both on the front and on the rear. More than 600,000 Azerbaijani sons and daughters took part in the war, more than half of whom died and went missing in the war zones.

For the courage shown during the war years, 123 citizens of Azerbaijan were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and more than 170,000 soldiers and officers were awarded various orders and medals.

The heroic sons of our people bravely fought for Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Stalingrad, Simferopol, Odessa and hundreds of other large and small settlements and took an active part in the liberation of many countries from fascism.

Azerbaijan's contribution to the Victory by supplying fuel was invaluable. During the war of 1941-1945, Azerbaijan accounted for more than 70 percent of the oil produced in the Soviet Union, 80 percent of gasoline and 90 percent of motor oils.

The vast majority of tanks and planes of the Soviet army, which played a decisive role in ensuring the Victory over fascism in World War II, were set in motion on fuel sent to the front by Baku oil workers. The enterprises of Azerbaijan in the uninterrupted mode produced various types of weapons, which were so necessary for victory.

The people of Azerbaijan demonstrated unprecedented labor feats on the rear front, day and night selflessly working to meet the needs of the army. Our fellow citizens sent to the front more than 7 tons of donated blood, they were especially distinguished in providing the combat units with food and warm clothes. In the name of the Victory over fascism, Azerbaijan mobilized all its resources.

Azerbaijan strongly condemns attempts to distort the truth about the Second World War, justify fascism and glorify fascist criminals. We especially condemn the glorification of the Nazi movement in our region and its minions in any form.

Azerbaijan has always supported the resolution of the UN General Assembly “Combating the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to the escalation of modern forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”, and we believe that our joint efforts can play an important role in overcoming these alarming trends.

This year, for the first time, the people of Azerbaijan celebrate the victory over fascism in 1941-1945 with double pride, along with the joy of the Great Victory achieved as a result of the 44-day Patriotic War. The justice that our ancestors fought for has finally triumphed, and Azerbaijan has restored its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

All our sons and daughters who died for the sovereignty and integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as veterans of the war of 1941-1945 are the pride of our people. Their memory will live forever in the hearts of the Azerbaijani people.

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BEIJING, MAY 9: Debris from China's Long March rocket, announced to be out of control on May 7, fell to Earth in the Indian Ocean near Maldives early Sunday.

Parts of the debris returned to the Earth at 10.24 Chinese local time (0224GMT), according to a statement by China Manned Space Engineering Office.

Most of the rocket burned up by the time it landed in the ocean, officials said.

Long March 5B Y2 was launched April 29 to carry the core module, Tianhe, of China's National Space Administration to its orbit.

Tianhe separated from the core stage of the launcher after 492 seconds of flight, directly entering its initial planned orbit.

China acknowledged on May 7 that debris of its indigenously built rocket was "falling back on earth."

China's upcoming T-shaped space station said the debris might re-enter Earth's atmosphere on or around May 9-10.

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Sadiq Khan won re-election for a second term as London mayor on Saturday, beating Conservative rival Shaun Bailey. Khan, first elected in 2016, won with just over 1.2 million votes in a closer than anticipated victory over Bailey, who gained 977,601 votes in Thursday's poll.

LONDON, MAY 9: Sadiq Khan was re-elected London Mayor on Saturday as had been widely expected, providing some joy to the opposition Labour Party which has suffered a series of disappointing results in other local elections.

Khan, who became the first Muslim to head a major Western capital after his victory in 2016, saw off his main challenger, Shaun Bailey, the candidate from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party.

He won by 55.2% to Bailey's 44.8% in a result which had been widely predicted, although his winning margin was smaller than his victory five years ago.

"I am deeply humbled by the trust Londoners have placed in me to continue leading the greatest city on earth," Khan said, who focused his campaign on creating jobs and boosting London's tourism economy.

"I promise to strain every sinew to help build a better and brighter future for London after the dark days of the pandemic."

Khan, a former member of parliament who replaced Johnson as leader of the British capital with a population of almost nine million people, has faced criticism over rising violent crime in the capital, particularly stabbings involving teenagers.

His record on the issue and other security issues led to a series of angry Twitter spats with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Khan's success comes after a bruising set of results for Labour in local elections in its former heartlands in central and northern England - known as the party's "Red Wall" - which followed a disastrous performance in the 2019 national vote.

While Johnson has enjoyed wide success elsewhere in England, the opposition party has become increasingly dominant in the British capital.

Analysts attribute this to the city's younger, more ethnically-diverse and more pro-European Union population, which unlike most of England, overwhelmingly opposed Brexit.

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ISLAMABAD, MAY 9: Pakistan on Satur­day expressed serious concern over illegal possession of a large quantity of uranium by two unauthorised persons in India and pointed to gaps in state control mechanisms there.

“We have noted with serious concern the reports about seizure of more than 7kg natural uranium from unauthorised persons in India,” Foreign Office Spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said.

Indian authorities had on Wednesday seized 7.1kg of natural uranium and arrested two persons — Jigar Pandya, 27, and Abu Tahir Afzal Husain Choudhary, 31 — in Nagpur. The seized uranium is worth $2.9 million.

It is believed that the uranium had been stolen or illegally mined. It was reportedly unprocessed as it had not been refined and converted to “yellow cake”.

It isn’t clear to whom did the two men want to sell it. It is believed that it could have been channelled to the international black market.

The very fact that some people stole or illegally mined uranium raises concerns about nuclear safety and security in India. It also indicates the possibility of a nuclear market existing in India that could be connected to international players.

“Security of nuclear materials should be the top priority for all countries,” Chaudhri said.

“There is a need for thorough investigation of the matter as to how such sizeable quantity of uranium could become available outside any state control and identify the gaps which made this possible,” he added.

Pakistan did not raise the matter with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, because it has been the government’s policy that security of nuclear material is a national responsibility.

However, India should report this incident to the IAEA’s Incident and Tracking Data Base mechanism as the uranium could have been trafficked to non-state or state actors or handed over to other rackets.

India’s nuclear safety and security record is not very impressive. Lax state control, as indicated by the latest seizure of uranium, shows that India still has to go a long way before becoming a responsible nuclear power and be accepted as a member of the Nuclear Supplier Group, a nuclear expert said.

According to an Indian parliamentary report, 147 mishaps or security-related occurrences were reported in Indian atomic energy plants between 1995 and 1998. Out of these instances, 28 were of acute nature and nine of these occurred in nuclear power installations.

More worrying, the expert noted, is the fact that nuclear arsenal is in the hands of an irresponsible extremist government. India has been a customer in nuclear black market, he said, adding the Indian state must regulate nuclear material or else could be considered complicit in their trafficking.

Soon after the news about the seizure broke, some quarters began expressing apprehensions that it could have landed in the hands of Hindu extremists, who could have used it for making dirty bombs.

However, this is far from the truth. Natural uranium is not useful for making dirty bombs. For that cobalt 60 etc. are far more lethal. Seven kilograms of natural uranium contains about 0.049kg of U235, which is the bomb material, provided someone could subject it to an enrichment process, a challenge in itself, according to nuclear experts.

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DOHA, MAY 9: Government of Pakistan has condemned attact on Al-Aqsa Masjid by Israel on Saturday.

The International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) has called for worldwide protests against Israeli violence in Palestine.

In a Facebook statement, the union urged the Muslim ummah and the humanity at large to support Palestinians amid days-long tensions in Jerusalem, especially in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, due to Israeli plans to evacuate Palestinians.

Protests in solidarity with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood have taken place across Jerusalem prompting clashes with Israeli police.

On Friday, Israeli police's violent storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque led to the injury of more than 205 Palestinians sparking widespread condemnation.

The union urged Muslim and Arab governments "to take practical steps to prevent the crimes of the [Israeli] occupiers and their attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque."

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