The Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) got ready to defend the country against America on February 20, at Aabpara Chowk in Islamabad, with some help from the Punjab government in Rawalpindi. The DPC defied the federal government’s ban on its three top leaders, including the Jamaatud Dawa’s Hafiz Saeed and the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat’s Maulana Ahmad Ludhianvi. Everything goes in favour of the DPC: the media, the parliament, the government and the people at large who are angry with America — the government may be pretending to avoid being left out — hence, why not reap more popularity while destabilising the government? The DPC is the stronghold of the religious parties aligned with jihadi non-state actors created in the past by the state and its agencies to fight covert wars in India and Afghanistan. There are some political attachments demonstrating how the non-religious parties look at the rising storm of extremism in the country, possibly seeing opportunities in it. The only mentionable party represented in the DPC, in earlier gatherings, is Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf; the others are negligible one-man shows like General Zia’s son Ijazul Haq and Rawalpindi’s Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.
The DPC is focusing on the drones, the threat of resumed Nato supplies through the Pakistani route, the appearance of a number of draft resolutions at the US House of Representatives about Balochistan (at least, one of them defending the right of self-determination of the Baloch), and the award of the Most-Favoured Nation status by Pakistan to India. The DPC strongmen have taken a firm position on how their warriors will attack the supply convoys if they are resumed. The DPC has the distinction of containing two big formerly jihadi outfits banned internationally, but not banned inside Pakistan, plus the newly-raised and renamed organisation by an old companion of Osama bin Laden, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khaleel, whose safe house in Islamabad once served as bin Laden’s post office.
At an earlier show of strength in Multan, the DPC also featured Malik Ishaq of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who has been accused of involvement in dozens of sectarian murders. At first, one of the leaders of the DPC, ex-ISI chief General (retd) Hamid Gul denied that he was present at the rally, but later apologised in the face of solid evidence. Another individual given to inciting sectarian hatred, Kohat’s Javed Ibrahim Paracha, known as al Qaeda’s lawyer, has been appearing in the DPC demonstrations. No one is bothered about the fact that terrorists are featuring big in them. The ISI should be bothered, too, because its cause against America is being promoted by the DPC in the company of these outlaws, but some analyses of the DPC deployment tend to see it as a concealed response of the establishment against the barrage of criticism being levelled at it.
At a recent seminar staged in Peshawar under the auspices of the Centre for Discussions and Solutions, an advocacy organisation created by Qazi Hussain Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami, two ex-ISI chiefs made their appearance: the usual fixture General (retd) Hamid Gul, who has emerged as a leader of the jihadis whom he once handled, was accompanied by General (retd) Asad Durrani. Why should the ex-ISI chiefs join the challenge to the sitting government? Mr Gul is known to be aggressive in his championship of all causes anti-American, but Mr Durrani could be entering the fold of religious rebellion because the Supreme Court is about to hear a case against fixing the 1990 elections with illegal funds in which he is named. Since there is a strong odour of establishment behind the DPC onslaught, it is quite possible that certain strong elements within it are signalling their own preferred option in foreign policy against America and India. The world outside sees clearly what most in Pakistan may not be able to see or may prefer to ignore for a number of reasons. Pakistan is losing its grip in the face of forces it once unleashed to advance its foreign policy. The quicker it realises this and takes corrective action, the better for it.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2012.
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.... this is true that international conspiracies have been hatched against integrity of Pakistan and this is also true that the subsequent governments of Pakistan have not left any stone unturned to create Fifth columns here. socio-economic deprivations of the poor have lead people to join external forces against the integrity of Pakistan. as far as jehaad is concerned, it is very sad to read the above comments bashing against the great religious duty of islam and dubbing it as extremism and terrorism. it is true and there are no second opinion about it that there is no room for extremism in islam but there is no book of hadith in which jehaad, the sacred duty of islam is not taught. if people of DPC are raising the flag of jehaad against enemies of pakistan then every Pakistani should appreciate it.
Pakistan is doing a self goal by allowing DPC to hold rallies which may be seen as abject surrender to jihadis and cause more anxiety at the international arena of nukes falling into wrong hands.
There is no corrective action to be taken. As recent history relentlessly demonstrates, minorities, religious or otherwise, don't stand much of a chance in Pakistan. The majority is thoroughly brainwashed and locked into its paranoid, hate fueled agenda. They have shamelessly embraced the hypocrisy of the self proclaimed victim who seeks to throw off the imagined yoke of oppression in order to impose their own very real tyranny of unabashed religious imperialism and intolerance. All levels of your society have been infected with this diseased mindset, and there is no cure.
Does it ever occur to anyone in PAK that the most vociferous leader(s) in this group may be agent(s) of foreign government(s) who originally funded the agent(s), particularly the one who is always accessible ?
People who did jihad funded by US money in the past are now against the US! Is not this hypocracy? Or they are not getting newely printed dollars from their benefactor any more?
Organizations such as DPCs are a shame to human intelligence and a shame to human species! The people who attend these rallies remind me of zombies in Hollywood movies! It will take people back thousands of years and will push your country into an abyss.
For the past few/many years, "Anti-Americanism" was a badge of honor proudly worn by far too many Pakistani Politicians and news pundits to further their careers! Pakistani Foreign policy was created live on URDU TV, with one politician/pundit trying to out-scream the other for ratings points! Now the DPC has arrived in all its glory to call their bluff, knowing full well that these same "elites" must now "embrace" the DPC or be exposed as Hypocrites! Inside Pakistan this must all seem grand, but the outside world might believe they are seeing something entirely different "circling the drain"!
Pakistan is about 3/4 of the way down the toilet bowl -- once the American's remove most of their land troops from Afghanistan you will hear the final gurgle. The constant anti American rants combined with obvious duplicity is going to have a backlash which will stun both liberal and conservative alike. You will tear yourselves apart an no one will lift a finger to help.
The way Pakistan is treating Balochis and Sindhis (Sindhi priminister was hanged on trumped up charges, Balochi bodies show up on road sides.) Why should they not get freedom from upression?