All New Year’s celebrations will remain banned across the country as Pakistan will stand in solidarity with Gazans, being oppressed by Israel, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar announced Thursday.
In a televised address, Kakar said: “Pakistani nation is in a sad state […] so keeping in mind the situation, the Government of Pakistan has decided to ban all celebrations related to New Year’s.”
“I appeal to all Pakistanis: show solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians and observe simplicity with the dawn of the new year,” Kakar said, noting that the situation war was catastrophic.
Israel, determined to destroy Hamas, has launched a relentless air and ground offensive that has left vast areas of Gaza in ruins and killed at least 21,320 people, mostly women and children.
The situation in Gaza is terrible as the war has dragged on for more than 12 weeks, with Israeli officials vowing to continue pummeling the Hamas-run territory for several more months.
The head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the population of Gaza is in “grave peril”, citing “terrible injuries, acute hunger and […] severe risk of disease”.
