ISLAMABAD - Deciding reactivation of the Defence of Pakistan Council, the union of over a dozen political and religious parties reiterated its resolve to ‘defend the country’s geographical and ideological frontiers’.

In a joint declaration issued after a meeting yesterday, the council said the US drone attack in Balochistan was condemned in harshest words and termed it an attack on the country’s sovereignty. It was decided that the council would meet on June 5 to announce future line of action and to raise the voice against the anti-state forces. It demanded immediate withdrawal of Nato forces from Afghanistan and called upon the civil and military leadership to take notice of the open threats coming from US President that they would continue drone attacks inside Pakistan and raise the issue at all available international forums.

The declaration said that religious and political parties in the country must unite and play proactive role against the US aggression by raising voice against it at all available forums.

Putting their weight behind the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC), the participants made it loud and clear that no hindrance would be tolerated as the forces who did not want Pakistan to progress were out to hamper the execution of the projects related to CPEC.

The participants also expressed grave concern over the bringing illegal shifting of over 2 million people in the occupied Kashmir with the aim to change the demographic order in the valley and called upon the government to take up the Kashmir issue at forum of United Nations.

The moot also expressed concern over the execution of the Jamaat Islami leaders in Bangladesh and termed it in sheer violation of 1974 agreements of cession and grilled the government for not taking up the matter with Bangladesh seriously and staying aloof for it.

The council appointed ex-JI chief Munnawar Hassan as its new chief coordinator – the post previously held by late Gen(r) Gul Hamid.

The meeting also demanded immediate halt to the harassment and illegal arrest of the Ulema and students of seminaries in fake cases of terrorism and in this connection a special committee would also be constituted to take up such cases at appropriate forums.

Earlier addressing the gathering JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq, who is also chairman of Defence of Pakistan Council, grilled the government for ‘not lodging strong protest with the US over the drone hit in Balochistan’.

He praised Army Chief General Raheel Sharif for lodging strong protest over the drone hit with US Ambassador and demanded the government adopt proactive and aggressive foreign policy.

He recalled that it was the strong stance taken by the Pakistan government after Salala post attack which forced the United States to apologise from the country and had the government not blocked the Nato supplies the US would not have apologised from the government over the attack. The other speakers also stressed the need for reviving the Defence of Pakistan Council to build pressure on government to take bold stand against anti-state elements.

Hafiz Saeed of JuD, Munnawar Hassan, Maulana Ahmad Ludhanvi, Ejazul Haq, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil, Maulana Muhammad Owais Noorani, Liaquat Baloch, Prof Hafiz Abdu Rehman Makki, Maulana Muhammad Younus and Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Chanioti also spoke on the occasion.