JD vows to make Pakistan a Taliban state

School kids brought to rally from Faisalabad on pretence of field trip for science exhibition.

LAHORE:

Jamaatud Dawa (JD) has vowed to convert Pakistan into a Taliban state and to train young people to wage jihad against America and India, in the latest rally by the outlawed group here in the city.

JD activists as well as school children as young as 10 from various districts were brought to the Lahore Press Club in buses and vans for the ‘Talaba Jamaatud Dawa’ (Jamaatud Dawa Students) protest against the Nato attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Students aged 10 to 15 from Jhumra Sandal Islamic School, Faisalabad, and Tameer-i-Seerat Model School Sharaqpur, Sheikhupura, said that they had thought they were going to a science exhibition and that’s what they had told their parents.

One student from Sandal Islamic School gave this correspondent a form titled ‘Field Trip Permission’ that was signed by his mother. “Dear Parent or Guardian,” it reads. “Your child is going on a field trip. Please read the information at the top of this form, then sign and return the permission slip at the bottom of this form.” It goes on to say that the students would be taken to a science exhibition at Al-Mizan School, Faisalabad, and they would be back by 3pm. The protest did not end till 4:20 pm, when the participants got back in the vans and buses and drove to Nasser Bagh.

Speeches

Addressing the rally at the Press Club, JD leader Maulana Ameer Hamza said the army chief should know that he had the full support of the JD, which would turn its followers into skilled fighters. “JD will make all of its fighters into Taliban. There will be Taliban in Punjab University, in Government College, in Agriculture University Faisalabad,” he said.

Hamza demanded that the government must kick the Americans out of not just Shamsi airbase, but Shahbaz airbase as well, otherwise the JD would do so itself.

JD leader Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki said Allah wanted them to get revenge from Christians and Americans. “We will kill Americans,” he said, adding that JD had trained hundreds of thousands of people for jihad.

He said the attack on the Pakistani check posts was intentional and an act of war against Pakistan.

He said it was the 32nd attack by US forces on Pakistan. “If the government does not get revenge from the US, we will,” he said.

He said that the United Arab Emirates should not have asked Pakistan to reconsider its decision to kick the Americans out of Shamsi.

Makki said it is 32nd attack of US forces on Pakistan and Pakistan should come out of war against terrorism. He accused the media of spreading propaganda against Islam and jihad and in favour of the United States.

JD leader Hafiz Saifullah Mansoor said they would kill 100 Americans for every Muslim killed. “Thousands of fighters are ready and waiting for a call from our leader Hafiz Saeed,” he said.

Abdullah Gul, son of former ISI chief Gen (retired) Hameed Gul, said it was time to “complete the revolution”. He said the people of Pakistan aspired to wage jihad and it was time to take up the sword,” he said. Jamaat-i-Islami Lahore Ameer Ameerul Azeem said Nato forces had reminded them all of the many wounds the country has suffered at the hands of America. He said Nato leaders were lying when they said the attacks were unintentional.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2011.