LAHORE: Following up to Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed’s press conference on the $10 million United States (US) bounty on his head, the Difa-e-Pakistan Council on Thursday asked President Asif Ali Zardari to cancel his trip to India. The council said that India was not sending its hockey team to Pakistan and the president was going there.
Zardari plans to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over lunch on April 8 before making a private visit to the famous 13th century Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer.
Representatives of all 14 parties of the DPC were addressing a press conference in Lahore, where they announced all rallies and programs will carry on as planned and there would be no change. The council has announced a day of protest for tomorrow (Friday).
The representatives said that all parties were together and nobody was going to back down. “America should not think about it.”
The DPC leaders said that the United States had announced the bounty as a pressure tactic to get NATO supply routes reopened. They announced that moving international courts is under consideration, but the council will first move local courts that this act is interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.
They said that America’s decision was an act of disrespecting the local courts and called on the government not come under any international pressure.
“Hafiz Saeed and Abdul Rehman Makki are citizens of Pakistan, their protection is the government’s responsibility.”
Lashing out at the US, DPC leaders said that the country was pleasing Israel and India by conducting drone attacks and Abbottabad-style raids in Pakistan.
They called on the US to bring proof regarding their allegations against Hafiz Saeed and added that he was willing to come to any local court.
The media talk was headed by Tehrik-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool leader Maulana Ameer Hamza. Others present included Pakistan Ulema Council chairman Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Mian Abdul Qadeer, JUI – Samiullah leader Asif Makhdoom, Dr Farid Parachi of the Jamaat-e-Islami, JUI – F leader Chaudhry Muhammad Abu Bakr and members of the Tanzeem-e-Islami.
The US recently announced a reward worth $10 million for the capture or any information leading to the capture of Saeed, making him one of the most wanted persons in the world.
COMMENTS (53)
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The bottom line is that we,Pakistanis, can choose to be a modern state where religion is a private matter between an individual and his God or choose to be a killing field for various factions claiming that their version of Islam is better and more complete than the others. There are no choices in between. we cant inculcate the likes of Hafiz saeed as a weapon against India and then not expect this weapon to be turned against us one day. This lethal weapon is now turned against the forces of tolerance, enlightenment and progress. They idealize centuries old medieval world while using all the amenities of the modern world. technology good, knowledge bad. What amazes me is that these sick minds, with their hate filled rhetoric still find supporters amongst the rest of us. He is a terrorist. Terrorism against India or US or Afghanistan is still terrorism; still remains a despicable heinious crime.
@mr. righty rightist: @Maryam:
I really give credit to the foresight of the boys who made the Aalu Anday song. One of the placard they show: PTI = Good Looking Jamat e Islami
Those who have not watched the video should definitely watch it on YouTube. Just type Aalu Anday song and you will get it. Some videos have subtitles in English so that those who cannot understand Punjabi can also follow. If the youth can come up with songs on those lines and popularize it, it would not only provide entertainment but also critically challenge and change the thinking of the population.
If Danush whose Kalaveri Di song became so popular (though it had totally meaningless words) could make meaningful songs on those lines pertaining to the issues in India, it would be good for India also.
Songs are powerful medium and good entertainment. It can also be used effectively to promote critical thinking.
Can the justices take suomoto action and place Mr Zardari on 'exit control list' to prevent him from visiting india in defiance to the patriotic call given by the Difa-e-Pakistan ? Maybe PTI will nominate Hafeez Saeed as Pak ambassador to USA ? I say anything is possible in the land of the pure.
the best way out would be for the Govt to handover Hafiz saeed and Lakhvi and the rest of the dafan council to US . See the bright side all these dafan council will get visa to visit disney land
The SC should take suo motu action against Zardari and once again show solidarity with the religious forces in Pakistan. The Tassers, Bhuttos, Zardaris of Pakistan are too secular and a threat. Worse that they want to have good friendly relations with the neighbors.
@A.Raja Rao Dear, world's governance or judiciary system doesn't work on 'feelings'. Come up with concrete evidence and take your enemy for trial.
That council is probably one of the primary reasons for not participating. They shout death threats at India and then complain when they don't want to come around. That's just... Stupid.
@Truthteller: A very balanced post.
@kaalchakra:
then why have this facade of an elected civilian govt. if it has to take orders from the army,isi and now the dep.
logic wins
Pakistani 'moderates' are and have always been irrelevant.
After the bounty, the hardline fringe has become the mainstream and now dictates the policies.Moderates have gone silent out of the fear of being labeled as traitors.
Problems,disagreements and issues can not be solved in isolation nor they can be resolved by violenceThe best option is negotiation and frequent interaction.Whatever may be the nature of Mr Zardaris visit let him enjoy the lunch with Mr Singh. Cancellation of visit will send wrong signal.
haha, as if he will listen.
Oh people of Pakistan ! Don't blame in future that you haven't seen those people responsible for all distruction in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is the picture of those heros, who made 13 pices of USSR and now re-organized under political get to bring peace in the region (after bombing each and every place in Pakistan). I miss only few persons here but they are no more, some of them are killed by drones.
Today in civilized world, there is no room for bunch of religious zealots and extremists. Sooner or later, their politics and ideology will sink. We have inherited serious problems from the days of Zia. Two groups are product of that era- Taliban and MQM. Look! what both of them have made Pakistan. A place of violence, hate and crime.
@Anjum: While I agree with you that the government has failed in upholding the rights of the citizens, however it is not the job of terrorists to dictate foreign policy.
@Syed Kashmiri: The way I see it it is the moulvis and the fundamentalist that are killing people all over Pakistan.
USA wants to appease India and is not concerned about Pakistan.
Their only concern is the supply route once that is opened they care nothing about Pakistan that is for sure.
This is the last option for Pakistan to show that they can get rid of American influence once and for all. If they lose this chance then there will be no more chance available ever.
haha, voice of pakistan.
I was watching the movie Elizabeth and the movie reminded me of Pakistan.
Present day Pakistan is just like the Europe in dark ages. So mush ignorance, hate, bigotry, abuse of religion!
After plunging such depths, pakistanis can be happy that the future journey can only be upwards. Or is there more depth to plunge into?!!
amen
Soon Pakistan will be second Afghanistan. Mullahs will destroy land of pure!
Meanwhile, Indian home minister Mr Chidambaram, has refused to meet his counterpart, Mr Malik, who will be accompanying Mr Zardari, to express the fraudulent prosecution of the 26/11 planners in Pakistan. "During his monthly press conference on March 31, Mr. Chidambaram, while welcoming the U.S. bounty for 26/11 mastermind and Lashkar-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Saeed, had slammed Pakistan for being “in denial” and failing to take any action despite India constantly demanding Saeed’s arrest and interrogation.
Recalling that during his visit to Islamabad a lot of material, containing CDs of Saeed’s speeches, had been given to Pakistan, Mr. Chidambaram regretted inaction on the part of Islamabad, saying Pakistan was not doing its duty.
He also said that during his visit to Islamabad he was given assurance of getting voice samples of Saeed but Pakistan had gone back on its promise on one ground or the other. “They said voice samples cannot be given without consent of the concerned person,” he said. "
I would like to add that India shoud trust only voice samples collected by an official of India, other wise its most likely to be a fraudulent sample.
of course,zardari should cancel trip ,and should focus on his own country .america is playing double standards in this region.pak should permanantely block the NATO supply..
Would perhaps feel more benevolent towards defy pakistan councilmen if i could think of anything positive they stand for. All i get is hate towards other countries, sects , minorities, genders (and perhaps children , given the photos of innocent kids forced to listen to hate speech). How about a stand for something good im sure we could find some good causes.
if we consider India as our enemy; this is the best time to face him rather staying at home.
Anjum writes "Hafeez Saeed and his like is taking a stand because our governemt and establisment is not capable of standing up for the pak interests and citizens betterment."
Really? How are they bettering Pakistan? How are their actions in Pakistan's interests?
I'm not surprised that Pakistanis get most of the things exactly reversed. Abdus Salam - villain. Hafees Saeed and Qadri - Heroes!!!
Looks like Pakistan does not know who their enemies are and who their friends are!!!
"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people" - Martin Luther King
Hafeez Saeed and his like is taking a stand because our governemt and establisment is not capable of standing up for the pak interests and citizens betterment. If our governemt acted proud and cleverly there would no room for Hafeez Saeed in Pak. But he must be defended by bullying states and Zardari must cancel his trip. Pak can do and develop on our own accord without bending for nabour or cowboys.
President is going there to prove that we still have a stake in India and we have right to visit the Holly places in India and more decent muslim there as compare to Pakistan. The other fact is that in India there is no such Mullahs though there are more muslims in India as compare to Pakistan. The other good thing is that our president has no threat of TTP, this lashkar and that Lashkar in India. On the top, muslim in India never cut the throat of other muslims.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
When I was in fifth grade, we had a mullah who taught us about Islam. His name was Mullah Fatiullah Khan, a short, stubby man with a face full of acne scars and a gruff voice. He lectured us about the virtues of zakat and the duty of hadj; he taught us the intricacies of performing the five daily namaz prayers, and made us memorize verses from the Koran – and though he never translated the words for us, he did stress, sometimes with the help of a stripped willow branch, that we had to pronounce the Arabic words correctly so God would hear us better. He told us one day that Islam considered drinking a terrible sin; those who drank would answer for their sin on the day of Qiyamat, Judgment Day. [...]
"I see you've confused what you're learning in school with actual education," he [Baba] said in his thick voice.
[Amir:] "But if what he said is true then does it make you a sinner, Baba?"
"Hmm." Baba crushed an ice cube between his teeth. "Do you want to know what your father thinks about sin?"
[Amir:] "Yes."
"Then I'll tell you," Baba said, "but first understand this and understand it now, Amir: You'll never learn anything of value from those bearded idiots."
[Amir:] "You mean Mullah Fatiullah Khan?" [...]
"They do nothing but thumb their prayer beads and recite a book written in a tongue they don't even understand." He [Baba] took a sip. "God help us all if Afghanistan ever falls into their hands." (3.13-25)
great, now a bunch of thugs, outlaws and jokers, belonging to banned organizations will dictate foreign policy of this country. its not even funny any more.
Cancellation of visit does no good for already rotten relationship of Pakistan with the US and India. Zardari must go and ask them for "solid" proofs that could prove that Hafiz Sahib is really involved in Bombay shooting.
I understand that there is no reason to go to India where they will do what they have done for 60+ years, delay, divert, stall the core issues.
But i am tired of the fascism of the maulvis, now i say go to india so that they can tell you that kashmir, burma, afghanistan, iran, scotland is an integral part of India just to spite extremists.
DPC we don't need you to defend Pakistan. We have our own army. Oops, I beg Pardon for little knowledge whether you are a part of army. ;)
Dr Shireen Mizari of PTI also call upon Zardari & Government to tell why they are going to Indian. Difa-i-Pakistan Council and PTI has so much in COMMON & that is why Imran Khan messages were read loudly in the Jalsas of DPC. Great.
Why isn't he asking Zardari to recall Pakistan's ambassador to the United States? Hafiz Saeed has little stomach to take on the US, which, offered the $10 million bounty in the first place.
Difa-e-Pakistan Council not only wants to do military’s job but also Parliament and Administration's function too. Let's see if they can win any votes in any election too.
Time is fast approaching when Govt and Establishment of Pakistan will have to choose between religious terrorism and the world. I hope they make the right choice.
Here lies now the big test for Mr Zardari. He bows to the pressure of molvies or upholds his reputaiotn of being a bold and courageous politician will become obvious soon. It is customary for corrupt moulvis to put pressure on irrelevant issues by making sentimental oratory and fooling the innocent masses of the country. Those in the government know how difficult it is to run the affairs. The moulvis on street are just to make empty slogans. India is an emerging power of the world and a big country. It is just in our neighbour. If we have to progress and prosper we aught to have good and firendly relaitons with it. Mr Zardari knows the diplomacy and his visit surely will win some pleasant break throughs. May be some disputes resolved and restoration of cricket/hockey matches get on the way. Let him try. Mr President please go ahead with your schedule and never bow your head to these self made so called leaders.
As long as religion dominates life in Pakistan there is no salvation. How can USA provide 'concrete' evidence when all the evidence is in Pakistan itself and if the Pakistani authorities feel that Hafiz Saeed is bad for Pakistan they can easily find the evidence. But the fact is that they don't feel he is bad and they feel he is an asset.
Our economy is not bad because of not having trade with India, Zardari sb war on terrorism is the real issue , less terrorism more stability and peace which leads to better economy. zardari should have taken parliament into confidence before meeting with Man-mohan Singh Ajmer Shareef pe haazri toh ik bahana hai
I hope Zardari cancels his un-invited visit to india and instead invites Professor Hafiz Saeed for lunch to his presidency where they can discuss the stretegy against India and USA.