“US failed to achieve its goals in Afghanistan and now wants to accomplish those same goals in Balochistan,” Saeed said.
Saeed was speaking at the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC)’s Karachi rally, organised with the support of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), where several other religious and political leaders also gave speeches.
While expressing satisfaction over the turnout at the rally, the JuD chief said that the current government of Pakistan should break away from the Pak-US partnership.
Responding to the news of Nato supply via Pakistani airspace, Saeed said that the government should stop this route as well.
Saeed also told the people gathered at the rally that India was using Kashmir as a weapon against Pakistan. He accused India of stopping Pakistan’s water and instead giving the impression that Punjab was stopping Sindh's supply, which led to a conflict between the two provinces.
JI chief Munnawar Hassan, Maulana Samiul Haq, former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Hameed Gul, former federal minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Chief of Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) Ahmed Ludhianvi, late General Ziaul Haq’s son Ejazul Haq, among many others, were present at the rally.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) senior vice-president Ejaz Chaudhry was also present at the rally.
During his speech, Chaudhry claimed that the spirit of change had spread throughout the country and emphasised that Pakistan needs to be “cleansed of America”.
JI Secretary General Liaquat Baloch and Haq, while addressing the rally, said that the DPC parties will besiege parliament on February 20 to protest against any decision related to reopening Nato supply routes.
The security cordon around the stage was earlier broken as ASWJ workers stormed the ground when Karachi leader Orangzaib Farooqi took the mic to address the rally.
Regional leaders of the parties have been making speeches since the morning. The afternoon and the evening will be dominated by the central leaders of the parties.
The speeches so far have touched on themes central to DPC, which are against reopening the Nato supply routes and ending American tyranny to live with honour. Speakers have also talked about India's role in Kashmir and some even paid tribute to Mullah Omar.
Rally preparation
Around 10,000 chairs have been set up, while several CCTV cameras have been installed to ensure security at the rally. Around 2,500 police personnel and 3,500 Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) volunteers are also on duty.
The roads leading to the venue were packed with Jamaatud Dawa and ASWJ supporters. Flags of all parties that are part of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council have been put up at the venue.
Against MFN status for India, reopening of Nato supply
Difa-e-Pakistan Council is a coalition of over 40 religious and political parties that has been vocally demanding the government to keep Nato supply routes closed and withdraw its decision to grant India the status of most-favoured nation.
The DPC has also been promoting the rally online through a newly launched website and the microblogging website Twitter (@Difaepak).
The first DPC rally was in Lahore which was organised by Jamatud Dawa (JuD), whose leadership is in charge of coordination and communication between all members of the group.
Calling for the Nato supply routes to stay closed, the DPC has several times, in their past rallies, threatened to besiege the parliament in case the government decides to reopen the routes.
DPC next rally will be in Quetta on February 27.
COMMENTS (60)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1713853507-0/MalalaHilary-(2)1713853507-0-270x192.webp)
Hafeez Saeed, first you break away from this earthly life and everything will be alright.
@Indian: What your govt is doing in the held kashmir and how your govt is dealing with the minorities in your country. your coutry has stopped all waters coming from kashmir, and want to destroy the economy of pakistan. it is true that that a trika (including india ;isreal and america) has been established to put pakistan under pressure to play as your slave. since pakistanies are awaking inshallah no enemy of pakistan will be able to fulfil its dreams like destroying pakistan. america is leading islam enemy forces, first he attacked iraq without any solid proof, on the plea that iraq was having weapons of mass destruction, which were never recovered. after that itself staged the drama of 9/11 and attacked afghanistan without any proof. actually this all to capture the minerals and hidden of the muslim countries and india, isreal and their other non muslim allies are proviing full fupport, that is all because the enemity against islam.
There is no liberal Islam. the so called liberal Pakistani Muslim who sternly oppose to the Mullahs and Islamic system may better quit this sacred land and find refuge in rest of the world where their liberal views are greatly appreciated. Remember Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and it will inshallah remain a cradle of fundamental Islam. Zindabad Difa e Pakistan.
This is nothing but staged show to rehabilitate Saeed and extract extra dollars from US by showing that public opinion is against them. As soon as money is in the bank he will go in hibernation.
PTI :p Hi So-called-Liberals of PTI :) ?
It is an established CIA and US State Department strategy to create and back radical militant and jihadist groups, at the same time pretending friendship with the government against a "common enemy" along with that recent convenient excuse of a bogus "war on terror" by donating money and arms to a government's military to fight those same rebels and militants, with the goal of taking over after the country has been thoroughly divided and destroyed. The goal for the US is purely geopolitical control of regions and theft of resources. The other typical strategy for the US to weaken a country is a steady stream of propaganda to demonize and stereotype so that a country can be isolated and then pounded with brutal economic sanctions. This is the fate of Pakistan as well if it cooperates with American "friendship". The only option for Pakistan if it wants to survive as a nation is to stop all NATO transports through its country, by sea or land, which includes shooting down the illegal child killing drones and to form military and trade alliances with friendly countries like Russia and Turkey who won't stab Pakistan in the back.
@khan
Stop using OIL. Oil nations are mostly all Muslims.
Stop taking showers. Stone Age Europeans leanred about Hygiene from Muslims.
Also, stop using the internet. Many electrical plants run on Mulsim oil.
Stop using any motorized vehicle
Got that?
Liberals are the scum of Pakistan.
and have no support among masses
"Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) senior vice-president Ejaz Chaudhry was also present at the rally"
What is this nonsense happening in your country.... how come IK party be involved with terrorists like hafeez saeed...
I think IK would loose his popularity in India. If this happens then he will have to pay heavy price.
One wonders who is using whom. The people for sure are either just spectators or out of desperation for want of a decent existance are willing to join this lot.
This "Dafan-i-Pakistan" group is just another one of those screeching conservative organizations which throw themselves down in front of the allegorical steam roller of progress in a futile attempt to slow down the world's inexorable march to a peaceful future.
Religion should not be brought into state affairs. Saudi funded mullahs have done a lot of harm to Pakistan. Let us not encourage them any more.
Even though i'm not in support of these extremist groups but clearly on the other hand the politicians and the army of this country are failing to protect the country. In these circumstances other groups such as those extremists will try to exploit the situation. Therefore it is the failure of pak army and politicians which is making room for such groups to raise their ugly heads. On the other hand NATO is not making life any easy for people like me as they are also promoting extremism in the country but creating a feeling of fear among people of Pakistan via constant threat.Pakistan spends most of its budget on Armed Forces, there is no need for this Difa council.
If these guys are so worried about Pakistan and really want to severe ties with US etc .. Then they first should get our economy on track and give back all the loans Pakistan has taken from these countries … Give them all the equipments that Army & Air force has including all Mirages and F16s … stop using each and everything they have invented including laud speakers, TVs, mobile phones, electricity, cars and each and everything besides all those medicines invented by the Jews.. once you have invented your own replacements for all these inventions then ask to severe ties with these countries .. till then you are only hypocrite . Stop this hollow slogans of hatred and misleading uneducated masses of this country or soon this will lead us in to destruction & anarchy
In my view this was a gathering of socially inapt section of Pakistani society, they live in their own little flat World, thankfully they are definitely not a part of normal day to day life of Pakistan.
@SM: "poor Quaid must be turning in his grave."
He's trying to escape but can't; he is under house arrest!
One more rally with false agenda n promises ! Are all these parties [PTI , PPP, PML-N, PML-Q, ANP] are sincere with Pakistan or just wanted to be gain more n more from it ???
what manefesto these carry - since we have strong armed forces to protect the country; what far these 'defaie rally' stood up - the bunch consisting of defeated, retired, multimillioners making show............!
Liberal extremism is as much a curse as religious hardliners. I will support those who maintain nationalistic policies and respect for culture
Really, what is the message that is going out to the world when people like Hafiz Saeed makes frontpage news !!
@Pakistani Hindu: its dafa-e-pakistan not dafna-e-pakistan and we will support .......
The main problem is US intervention into every matter
Every one coming with a flag makes this rally bigger than it might well be.
@"Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) senior vice-president Ejaz Chaudhry was also present at the rally."
Really imran khan? Alas you lost one of your supporter here.
hw many ppl supporting terrorism in the name of difa-e-pakistan. these are all a group of rejected and banned groups. ludhianvi and hafiz sab are the killers of humanity and their hands are stained by the blood of many pakistanis. nw they want to defend pakistan after defending kashmir and afghanistan so very well!!!
At least they are the one who are speaking against NATO-US i wish if any other political party had spoken openly
Pakistanis should 'dafa' these people from the country if they hope for a better future in a globalized world.
It’s not about liberal or conservative. This council consists of UN banned organizations, sectarian terrorist groups and extremist elements that are responsible for deaths of thousands of Pakistanis. No Shia, barelwi, Hindu or Christian is part of this. Even JUI is not part of this. These groups were created in the 80s to wage proxy wars; they exploit people, they recruit children from poor families and have them killed in othe lands. Such groups are just running a business.
what wrong they do... expose USA agenda?
God bless them. one day this country will be a great Islamic country and it will be happen when pious leadership came in Pakistan .corrupt can't do for Pakistan. Wakeup people.
The people who support this group overlook something. Disregarding how ridiculous some of the claims made are, for such outcomes they have to destroy Pakistan before anyone else. Your government and army are not dumb enough to be seen cooperating on the worldwide scale. They can't afford to not be a first line of defense to people so vocal or something much worse than any militant group will ever pull off would occur. That also translates to they and their supporters being guilty of treason. They're preparing and recruiting openly for the act. They just word it carefully enough to prevent action against them before they're ready. You went nuts over a memo. These guys are shoving nearly the same thing in your face unmistakably and proudly. Come on, you guys love to use that accusation. Don't miss your chance, it's rare but you have the real thing here.
Funny its a difa-e-pakistan rally and yet I dont see any Pakistani Flags...
The liberal and the not-so-liberal elements exist in everyone and everywhere. Contrary to their own proclamations of tolerance and modernity, liberals have become progressively intolerant and less than modern.
In your haste to show your liberal colours, you ignore the fact that Hindus and Sikhs representatives were invited to the Defa-e-Pakistan rally. Pakistanis were honoured that Pakistani Sikhs and Hindus (though I dislike classifications based on religion and ethnicity etc) accepted the invitations and equally honoured us all with there presence.
Just who is being 'liberal' you or those who accuse of beings intolerant and backward?
They are talking about Defa-e-Pakistan. Do 'liberals' not want to defend it?
@All the scaremongerers JUD is just ONE of the 40 parties taking part. Most of them are peaceful religious parties. The problem is that the ruling parties have been too corrupt and subservient of the US to actually challenge some of the big problems facing Pakistan, so this has created a space for a third pressure force to seize the momentum. The common man is extremely angry at the continuing drone attacks by US that kill innocents and violate our sovereignty and the blatant interference of US in our domestic affairs. These issues should be protested against by people regardless of their race, creed religion or political background. The liberals have been hypocritical and selective in their causes and give blind support to the corrupt government. No wonder they are in a minority. If you care about this country like you claim then be bold enough to protest the unfair policies of US, be bold enough to protest against the drones, be bold enough to criticise the PPP and current government for their corruption instead of coming up with excuses to defend all of these.
failture to address the people problems the current govt (so called champion of democracy now champion of curruption) has motivated them to move forward as they realized people have been disappointed from current set up. we should not be so aggresive (liberals) as constitution allow expression freedom for every body.
they better take care of their Madrasas,
Great show of political strength Masha Allah.
haha secularists must be crying.
These mullahs are involved in atrocities against the sect that Jinnah followed. Jinnah must be turning in his grave
Blocking NATo supply is the only way to Save Pakistan, what an agenda for saving nation
poor Quaid must be turning in his grave.
Never saw anyone so eager and energetic to burn their own house down!!
after pti jalsa this place has becum a benchmark to showcase the power
"Difa" "of" "Pakistan" should be done from these mullas cum politicians.
It is that trouble-maker Hamid Gul who keeps Zia's culture alive. His warped views and support for undesirable elements that has brought Pakistan to the state it is in.
Let there be more such rallies and be assured that, there will never be a solution to vexed disputes between India and pakistan.
Meanwhile liberals weeping tears of blood on twitter.
These groups made billions during the dollar jihad. Now they fear, their business will come to an end
I dont really understand the purpose of this rally? good luck to those with good intentions anyways
difae pakistan or destroy pakistan?????some elements want to pull our country back into the stone ages.dirty politics in the name of our Holy religion.DPC is a new model of the early nineties IJI...what a transformation...///
Difa e Pakistan or Dafn e Pakistan? Pakistanis should/must stop them.. before it's too late. WAKE UP PAKISTAN ! ! !