Young Palestinians loudly demonstrated their support for the Gaza Strip’s inhabitants on Saturday during the German Ambassador Alfred Grannas’ speech at the Lahore civil rights conference.
Prominent individuals and international diplomats attended the opening of the 5th Asma Jahangir Conference, which had as its topic “People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil Rights in South Asia,” at a nearby hotel in Lahore.
Among the guests were Senior Supreme Court Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar.
During the two-day conference, which was co-organized by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), there was a passionate intervention during Ambassador Grannas’ speech. A few of the younger people got up as he started talking, and they had a lively conversation.
“Pardon me, Mr. Ambassador,” a protestor yelled at the envoy. The idea of talking about civil rights while your nation is being accused of using violence against Palestinians disgusts me.
The audience cheered and applauded as echoes of solidarity for Gaza and Palestine rippled throughout the auditorium. The air was filled with chants of “From the River to the Sea” and “Free, Free Palestine.”
The German ambassador lost control and chastised the young people for their passionate statements, stating, “Shouting is not dialogue.” If you want to yell, go outside. Disgrace to you.
The organizers of the meeting then banished the young people who had been speaking up for Palestine. Grannas’s comments were momentarily muffled and the event’s broadcast was temporarily blocked.
The youth’s argument with the ambassador on Germany’s involvement in Gaza was highlighted by the Progressive Students Collective (PSC), who denounced the repression of dissent. The PSC criticized the conference organizers, claiming that they were suppressing student opinions and giving a forum to those who supported Palestinian subjugation.
Speaking at the Asma Jahangir Conference, Ahsan Bhoon, a former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, emphasized the international suppression of pro-Palestinian demonstrations while highlighting Asma Jahangir’s history of defiance against dictatorship.
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