KARACHI - Demanding of the government to immediately cut the ties with United States, the leaders of Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) on Sunday said the restoration of Nato supplies would be tantamount to make mockery of the national honour and sovereignty of the country.
The leaders vowed that they would stage a sit-in at the Parliament on February 20 to protest restoration of Nato supplies.  Difa-e-Pakistan Council is a coalition of over 40 political and religious parties and some banned outfits that have been loud in demanding the government to keep the Nato supply routes closed and withdraw its decision to grant India the status of most-favoured nation (MFN).
The central meeting of the DPC, organised by Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi at Bagh-e-Quaid on Sunday, was addressed by Difa-e-Pakistan Council and JUI-S Chief Maulana Samiul Haq, JI chief Munnawar Hassan, JuD Chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief General (r) Hameed Gul, Awami Muslim League President Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, chief of banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Ahmed Ludhianvi, Muslim League-Zia President Ejazul Haq, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil, PTI Central leader Ejaz Chaudhry, JUP Chief Dr Abul Khar, Owais Noorani, Maulana Tahir Ashrafi and others.
Addressing the meeting, DPC and JUI-S Chief Maulana Samiul Haq underlined the need of unity among people of Pakistan to defend the geographical and ideological frontiers of the country and playing role for its stability.
Presenting the 10-point agenda of Difa-e-Pakistan Council he said the next meeting of the DPC would be held in Quetta on 27th February. He said the agenda of the DPC was to get the country liberated from the slavery of the United States, which was being defeated in Afghanistan and wanted to avenge Pakistan by creating unrest in Balochistan.
He said the DPC would keep pressure on government to keep ban on Nato supplies intact and to ensure drone attacks would not be allowed. The DPC would continue its struggle to keep Karachiites free from ethnic and sectarian divisions. He said the DPC would take people of Balochistan on board and would fight for their rights. Haq said the DPC would continue supporting Kashmiri freedom fighters in every way. The Council would also support people of Afghanistan against the US, he added. He urged the Pakistani nation to continue supporting Kashmiri people who had been struggling against the Indian occupation for the last six decades.
In his address, JI Pakistan Chief Syed Munawar Hasan said people had welcomed the DPC across the country which reflected their trust in the Council. The biggest challenge faced by Pakistan was the US interference in country’s affairs. He said the DPC was formed for the defence of country’s territorial and ideological boundaries and it would help people get rid of the corrupt rulers. The DPC would strive for eradication of corruption, elimination of poverty, hunger and joblessness from the country. He said DPC wanted US to set Dr Aafia Siddiqui at liberty. He said Pakistani rulers had misled the people by saying the Nato supplies were stopped. But, he added, the US ambassador revealed the truth saying Nato supplies were continuing through Pakistani air routes. He invited people to join the DPC’s sit-in protest at the Parliament against the likely restoration of Nato supplies.
He said preparation for general elections were underway and if these were held under Zardari and Gillani, the elected government would not last for more than 90 days especially because the elections would be engineered and would favour the US. The government thus formed would be eliminated in 90 days if it failed to address the grievances of the people of Balochistan. JUP Chief Sahibzada Abu Al Khair in his address asked the Army Chief to break his silence over drone attacks.
Expressing satisfaction over the turnout at the rally, Jamatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed said the US was leaving Afghanistan after facing a humiliating defeat.
“US failed to achieve its goals in Afghanistan and now wants to accomplish those goals in Balochistan,” Saeed said. The JuD chief also said the government should quit US partnership. Responding to the news of Nato supply via Pakistani airspace, Saeed said the government should close that route as well.
Saeed also told the people of the rally that India was using Kashmir as a weapon against Pakistan. He accused India of stopping Pakistan’s waters and presenting it as a fight between Punjab and Sindh. Chief of Ansarul Ummah, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil said that America wanted to take revenge from Pakistan for its defeat in Afghanistan and said the Council would not allow the Americans to succeed in their evil designs. AML Chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said the people had to rise against the loot and corruption of the rulers and make the country Al-Tahrir Square. He said the people should unite at DPC platform to expel the corrupt rulers and save the country.
Former ISI Chief Gen (r) Hameed Gul, in his address, said the Supreme Court should take suo moto notice of Balochistan situation and release of US Spy Raymond Davis. JI Secretary General Liaquat Baloch and Haq, while addressing the rally, said the DPC parties would besiege parliament on February 20 to protest against any decision related to reopening of Nato supply routes.
CCTV cameras were installed to ensure security at the rally, however, around 2,500 police personnel and 3,000 Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) volunteers were also deployed for the security of the meeting.
Flags of Jamaat-ud-Dawa and outlawed Sipah-e-Sahaba were witnessed in the all the main streets and at the meeting place, besides the flags of the parties that were part of Difa-e-Pakistan Council.