Renowned Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani, a former judge of the Federal Shariat Court, called for a peaceful boycott of products in support of Palestine while strongly condemning recent acts of vandalism. He emphasized that such boycotts should be carried out non-violently, ensuring that no harm comes to life or property.
Mufti Usmani’s comments followed a series of incidents involving attacks on international fast-food chains across Pakistan. On Wednesday, a fast-food outlet in Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) was attacked, with a group of people throwing stones and damaging the building. Similar incidents were reported in Mirpurkhas, where a restaurant was set on fire, and in Karachi, where over 100 members of a religious party tried to ransack a fast-food chain outlet on the M-9 motorway.
In another incident, ten activists of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan were arrested after they ransacked a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet in Karachi’s DHA. Notably, KFC is not part of the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement’s boycott list. The BDS movement is a non-violent initiative that calls for boycotting companies complicit in the oppression of Palestinians.
Addressing a conference in Islamabad, Mufti Usmani condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and voiced support for boycotting Israeli products and those associated with Israel. However, he stressed that Islam promotes balance and forbids acts of vandalism or violence. He urged the public to engage in peaceful protests and boycotts, without resorting to violence or disrupting public peace.
Mufti Usmani also advised that the country’s rulers should be persuaded peacefully to fulfill their obligations regarding Palestine, warning against the use of force or violent methods, which could lead to civil unrest, as seen in other Muslim countries.
In a related incident, eight individuals were booked on Thursday for attacking a KFC outlet in Larkana. Police have charged the suspects under multiple sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Pakistan Penal Code. The authorities are using CCTV footage to identify additional suspects involved in the attack.
