Combating terrorism : ‘Muslim bloc needed to counter US-India nexus’

Demonstrations held to condemn US drone strike in Balochistan

MULTAN: Several religious and sectarian groups set aside their differences on Friday to protest the US drone strike in Balochistan. Scores of protest demonstrations were organised in various areas of south Punjab after Friday prayers.

Dozens of protesters joined demonstrations called by Pakistan Difa Council, Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Sami (JUI-S) and Jamaat-i-Islami.

Protests were held in Multan, Khanewal, Bahawalangar, Rahim Yar Khan and Bhakkar.

In Multan, hundreds of activists of Pakistan Difa Council and the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen staged a demonstration and burnt the US flag at Gulshan Market. The participants chanted slogans against the United States. They said the United States government was sheltering Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah in connivance with the Indian consulate general in Afghanistan.

The protesters were led by Allama Iqtidar Hussain Naqvi. Addressing the protesters, he said US drone strikes violated Pakistan’s territorial sovereignty.

He said scores of citizens had been killed in the drone strikes. He said United States had betrayed Pakistan. “Pakistan has never been compensated for the losses suffered in wars imposed on it” he said. The protesters chanted slogans against US President Obama and called him an accomplice of Indian sponsors of terrorism in Pakistan. They said the US had failed to stop Mullah Fazalullah who was mounting attacks on Pakistani civilians from Afghanistan.

They said the US policy of negotiating with one faction of the Taliban while launching attacks on other groups showed that it was not serious about combating terrorism in the region.

“The US is protecting Mullah Fazlullah and their leader is shaking hands with militants who have killed thousands of innocent people in Pakistan,” they said.

They said the US-India nexus was promoting terrorism all over the world. They said the Pakistan Army chief should seek a Muslim block against the United States and India.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2016.