Additionally, Saeed blamed ‘Indian lobbies’ and ‘the Pentagon’ for what he said are trying to spread the perception that drone strikes take place with the approval of Pakistan’s government.
Vague answers and oft-repeated allegations formed the major part of Saeed’s conversation with reporters at a press conference in Karachi on Saturday.
Difaa-e-Pakistan event
Saeed is in the city to overlook arrangements for the Difaa-e-Pakistan Council’s event on February 12, which will be the third in a series by a coalition of 40 religious and political groups.
Saeed declared that the event would be a ‘historic one’ and would attract people from all political and religious parties, ethnic groups and religions.
“We will invite the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and other religious and political parties,” he said.
The event’s main aim is to protest Nato attacks in Pakistan and the government’s move towards granting India the Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) status.
“The MFN status to India is a dangerous economic weapon being used as a weapon of war,” the Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) leader said.
Partnership with the US
“We always opposed this partnership with the US that was formed after 9/11. We said that this goes against our fundamental beliefs and the teachings of the Holy Quran and Islam, and that the result will not be in Pakistan’s favour. This strategic partnership has cost Pakistan dearly.”
He also hit out at the democratic government for ‘not changing policy’ when it was voted into power. He said that the damages incurred were far greater, including a spike in drone and suicide attacks.
He alleged that the, “US did not just come here to capture Afghanistan but to [en]force its agenda on Pakistan. It opposes the Two-Nation theory and also tried to drag Pakistan into this war.”
The JuD chief said that its demand is for Pakistan to immediately disassociate itself from this war.
Nato supply routes
Referring to recommendations made by the Parliamentary committee on National Security, Saeed said they were only meant to “pave the way for Nato supply routes to be reopened, and these efforts are to give US access to Pakistan’s land and air routes.”
The JuD leader propounded on his theory that reopening Nato supply routes would lead to drone strikes, and suicide attacks would follow. “The people in the tribal areas are being killed and no one is even asking about them. What has the government done for them, why have they never raised the point of drone strikes? When people see this bloodshed, there is a reaction and they can be exploited by some groups.”
Army’s role
He declined to elaborate on what he expects from the military, given the role it plays in Pakistan’s foreign policy and its relationship with the US. “The military’s role is to defend Pakistan. Wars are not fought by armies, they are fought by nations. If the government is weak, instead of blaming the military they should step up and act.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (35)
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Will he will get droned? or When he will self do suicide bombing n we will see his supporters mourning over his shadat??
Hafiz saeed is true fighter of Islam. No political agenda. This protest is only reaction to blind killing of Pakistani soldiers. Every Pakistani declare Hafiz Saeed as his own leader. If the issue is about sovereignity of Pakistan, we are with Hafiz Saeed. Why dont you guys ask US, India about killing pakistani soldiers?
"Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed believes suicide attacks are a logical reaction to drone strikes"
Yes. Just like infections are a logical reaction to antibiotics. The solution? Stop using antibiotics.
@umer: good one.
I don't understand why give him publicity? Is he a major political or social figure? NO! Does his statement have any impact on any one? No!
Why Karachi Hafiz Saeed? We can defend our Pakistan without your jalsas and gatherings in Karachi. Take them to Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Quetta, Hyderabad, Sukkar, Jhang, Rahim Yar Khan, Miranshah, Wana and scores of other cities in Pakistan.
You do realize that jalsas only add to the terror and misgivings the citizens have about them. The daily wage earner is the most affected and citizens who attend to their prayers regularly and live and work honestly.
The time has come to work, work and work for the prosperity of Pakistan and not to hold jalsas that terrify the citizens. Ensure peace and come up with a workable economic prosperity plan and the VOTE BANK is yours for the taking. Salams to you and Pakistan.
How many Pakistans we have in Pakistan. Is Hafiz Saeed above Zardari.
Hafiz Saeed is a master mind behind mass murders and the Supreme court is sleeping
If these Maulanas has taken over Difa-e-Pakistan then can we cut down some of the defence budget?
bunch of thugs.
Will somebody answer my four Humble questions:
1----- What is source of income of Hafiz Saeed? How does he run his household? 2----- Has he himself participated in any jihad? 3------ What about his children? Has any of his sons done jihad practically? 4------- Is it true that that he in recent past, married a young teen age girl, who was widow of a shaheed?
An event where you will see ALL the extremists and Taliban sympathizers.
(1) This time around, HS's planned Karachi event will either (a) not materialize at all and HS shall come up with some explanation as to why he cannot get it done or (b) the event will be the biggest flow with not more than a few hundred attending. I remember Hamid Gul's rally in protest of US which was attended by just around 100 protesters even though Hamid Gul brought his whole family and is sick wife to make the protest a success. Same comment goes for Zaid Hamid. He was previously very popular but is now being mocked by most Pakistanis. I could not stop laughing when Sharmila Farooqi and Rouf Klasara mocked Zaid Hamid to the hilt. Zaid Hamid could not open his mouth and felt like a fool. Watch Shahzeb Khanzada's TV talk show "To The Point" of December 31, 2011.
(2) No religious party of terror organizations can organize a rally or become popular if the army does not support it. The army is now cautious and guarded in its support for such groups. Zardari has really maneuvered the situation with craft and tact.
(3) The army has already used its last card by stopping the NATO supply route and closing Shamsi Airbase but this has not had much effect on US and the drone strikes are still continuing. The army has no explanation and its bravado has been proved hollow.
After Imran Khan's U turn and joing American camp, someone was needed in that position and no one is more qualified than Hafiz Sahib. Future looks like this, Imran taking Zardari's position, Musharaf replacing Mian Sahib and Hafiz Sahib filling in for Imran Khan.
Same terrorist nut whose considered to be the mastermind behind the bombing of Indian parliament and subsequently the Mumbai attacks, not to mention his work in Kashmir and connections with other militant terrorist groups.
Rather than coming to Karachi, this guy should have been locked up.
Unfortunately our terrorist sympathizing judiciary continues to sabotage, while he enjoys the support of establishment backers in Sheikh Rashid, Ejaz-ul-Haq and Hamid Gul, etc, as well as other militant groups, including hate groups as the sectarian ASWJ.
He offered Janaza for global terrorist OBL, who sat in Abbottabad while our country was being burned by his acolytes.
In an earlier rally, his group deceitfully sent permission slips to school children's parents to get consent for a 'science exhibition' trip but instead were taken to a Jihadi militant rally which openly threatened to attack the Pakistan government to impose their brand of religious fascism if their demands weren't met.
Karachi should say no and protect their children from the brainwashing...but too bad he has his delusional uncritical thinking supporters who believe he's a great 'patriot' or '100% right', despite all the evidence to the contrary.
will he condemn the terrorist attacks on Pakistan e.g. TTP?
These so called religious leaders have never done and can never do any good to this country.
This man hates India from the core of his heart. Indians also see him as an enemy and criminal. His ancestral home fell in India during partition and while migrating he lost a lot of his family members in the riots during partition. I don't know if that is the reason for being so hateful about India. His ways will lead India and Pakistan to war. Anybody supporting him must realise this.
Hafiz Saeed we pakistanis wholeheartedly support your killing of innocent people. You are more harmful to Pakistan than the entire american army at our borders. We need education not Hafiz Saeed .
@AK:
You cannot get out of this war anymore till USA would want you to get out.
Plz don't pretend that Pakistan is doing any favour to India by conferring MFN. Pakistan has this obligation being a signatory to WTO, the benefits of which you are availing. However it doesn't make any difference to India if you do not give that MFN. Pakistan is using MFN to tell the world that it is keen on talking to India and at the same time trying to minimise tensions from the east since your plate is already full from your west.
I hope he gets droned fast.
These banned organizations are the real source of terrorism. The government is so helpless that these groups are now holding public rallies. Who will invest in such a country
With patriots like Hafeez Saeed and his followers, Pakistan does not need any enemies. Guaranteed.
Hafiz Saeed is right we should pull out from War on Terror because this is not our war ,actually it's against Islam and Muslims. Pakistan is facing many problems because of this war like terrorism,economy loss etc. Now as America is losing in Afghanistan so it transfer the pressure in Pakistan and also blaming Pakistan for its defeating.
So let me get this straight: the tribal people get angry because of US drone strikes, and in response decide to join the infidel US/Zionist conspirators who somehow persuade them to murder their fellow Muslims in suicide attacks in Pakistan? Wow, these tribal people must be dumbest people on earth!
What a logic? Even plato would be feeling ashamed.
No word onkillings in Baluchistan and Shias?
Society gets the leaders it deserve.
pakistan is getting worse by the day.
They cant do anything but shout,instead they should go to school get some education
Why doesn't he just go for Jihad himself?
Why does he want others to go with him?
Hafiz Saeed is a great patriot.
I don't care what critics want to say, but this guy is 100% right. We need to pull out from this "War of terror" and put an end to this madness. Pakistan didnt have any suicide bombings before 2001, this whole War on terror is BS and nonsense.
As far as India goes, we dont need them. Pakistani politicians should prioritise things such as Kashmir and Balochistan rather than wasting time on MFN.