KARACHI: Funeral prayer in absentia for Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated in Tehran, as in its statement Hamas accused Israel responsible, was offered in parts of Karachi and elsewhere across Pakistan.

In Karachi prayer was offered on MA Jinnah Road, other parts of city while thousands of countrymen attended prayer in absentia in Lahore, Sargodha, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Multan, Sukkur, Dadu, Mansehra and many cities and towns of cities in county. Funeral prayer for slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was held in absentia on Mall Road. Prayer was led by Jamat-e-Islami leader Hafiz Muhammad Idrees, with large turnout from people of various backgrounds.  Participants expressed solidarity with people of Palestine, family of slain Hamas leader and vowed to continue support for establishment of independent state of Palestine.

They raised anti-US-Israel slogans for brutal act and appreciated Muslim ummah condemning heinous act of Israel besides urged west to come of slumber and open eyes on brutalities and tyrant illegal state of Israel’s acts against innocent Palestinians. On other hand, Russia denounced  “Unacceptable political assassination” of Ismail Haniyeh, political leader of Palestinian movement Hamas, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Bogdanov said. “It is completely unacceptable political assassination, and this will lead to further escalation of tensions,” Bogdanov told state-run RIA Novosti news agency. Turkey also condemned “Shameful assassination” of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh-an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan-Foreign Affairs Ministry said in statement. “We condemn assassination of leader of Hamas’s political office, Ismail Haniyeh, in shameful assassination in Tehran,” Ministry said.