Palestine envoy shares stage with Hafiz Saeed, India reacts

Palestine's envoy to Pakistan shared a stage with JuD chief and the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks Hafiz Saeed, to which India has reacted strongly.

"We have seen reports in this regard. We are taking up the matter strongly with the Palestinian Ambassador in New Delhi and with the Palestinian authorities," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to queries late Friday.

Palestine Ambassador to Pakistan Waleed Abu Ali on Friday shared the stage with Jamaat-ud-Dawa terror outfit chief at a gathering organised by Difa-e-Pakistan Council, an umbrella organisation of hardline right-wing groups.

According to a report in Pakistan's The Nation daily, the Rawalpindi central leadership of Difa-e-Pakistan-Council has announced to launch a countrywide movement for the liberation of Kashmir and Palestine.

The report quoted Ali as saying that "with Pakistan's tremendous support to Palestine cause, we do not feel alone".

This comes after India voted with the rest of the world earlier in December in favour of an Arab resolution in the UN General Assembly rejecting US President Donald Trump's decision recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.