Pakistan sets up committee to boycott Israel-linked businesses

The Pakistani government has formed a committee on Saturday that will identify and boycott companies linked to supporting Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.

The advisor to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Rana Sanaullah, told reporters that companies and products that “may be directly or indirectly abetting Israel or forces” will be boycotted.

The move comes after a deal was made between the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) political party and the government after the TLP held a rally and sit-in near the capital, Islamabad, on Friday in support of Gaza.

The agreement also demands that the government provides further humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza.

The advisor said the party and the government had agreed to provide Gaza with 1,000 tonnes of aid, including food and medicine.

Pakistan has long held a pro-Palestine stance with support for an independent Palestinian state and has refused to recognise Israel and prohibits its passport holders from entering the Asian state.

The nation also urged the world to designate Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a terrorist, a declaration that has been welcomed by the Palestinian group Hamas.

The accord notes that Netanyahu is responsible for the “atrocities committed by Israeli forces in Palestine”, adding that the country  already considers him to be a terrorist.

Sanaullah said: “Pakistan will use every possible means to help Palestinians and condemn Israel as a terrorist country,” while calling on the world, including the Muslim nations, to hold the minister to account and bring him to justice.

Hamas said the announcement was not only an expression of Pakistan’s “historical” position on Palestine but also a step towards supporting those who are “subjected to genocide and ethnic cleansing at the hands of Zionist terrorists”.

Pakistan also announced they are ready to bring injured Palestinians to the state as the Palestinian Authority arranges for their treatment.

Israel’s war on Gaza has since killed over 38,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children.