LAHORE: Chief of banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Malik Ishaq was in attendance at the Difa-e-Pakistan Council rally in Multan, a spokesperson for the council’s member organisation Jamaatud Dawa has said.
“General (retd) Hamid Gul was wrong in denying Ishaq’s presence at the rally. He was present on stage,” said Yahya Mujahid, a spokesperson for Islamic chairty, which is blacklisted by the United Nations for its alleged ties to LeJ but not by the Pakistan government.
Gul, in an interview with Express News television channel, had categorically denied that Ishaq was present at the rally.
“It was DPC’s unanimous decision that Ishaq will not address the rally,” Mujahid told The Express Tribune on Friday. “It’s a simple rule that whoever addresses the people from stage at a DPC rally cannot be a member of a banned militant outfit.”
Mujahid was attending an emergency protest, called by the JuD outside their main mosque Jamia Qudsia in Lahore under the DPC’s banner, against resumption of Nato supply routes and trade talks with India. The council has also called a meeting of heads of member parties on February 19 in Islamabad.
Apology to media
He also apologised for statements made against the media at the council’s Karachi rally. “The statements should be condemned in the strongest terms. I, as a representative of JuD, have written letters of apology to media organisations.”
Funding
The spokesperson said that the DPC is an organised platform. “Funding [for the organisation] is provided by member parties while host parties for different rallies fund events in their own cities,” he explained. For instance, he said, JuD hosted the Lahore rally, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat organised the one in Multan, Sheikh Rasheed hosted the Rawalpindi event and Jamat-e-Islami hosted the Karachi rally.
“The nationwide networks of all member parties provide support in organisational procedures.”
In defence of Hafiz Saeed
Amir Hamza, a senior leader of the JuD, said that the reason the US is against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed is because he speaks out about human rights violations by US allied forces in the region.
He also blamed former president Pervez Musharraf for joining hands with the US in the ‘war on terror’ and the Balochistan crisis.
CORRECTION: Former president Pervez Musharraf's name was erroneously written as Pervez Sharif. The error is regretted.
COMMENTS (39)
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Hamid Gul! Isn't he the chappy who was carrying around Kaptaan for his street shows, till recently. How rapidly things change in the country.
@Diggvijay Singh: They aren't popular. For the most part, mullahs haven't won seats in elections except as part of an alliance with more popular parties.
100% agree with you .......
@ayesha: You are one of the most sane voices on this forum and spot on your comments on Diggvijay Singh and PTI. One shudders to think about the future role of DeP in Pakistan and how the present govt or the future ones are going to deal with this menace.
@Pakistan politics: dear.. what is secular extremism? and how it has done any damage to Pakistan? I would really like to know that..
@pakistanibaloch: My dear Baloch brother.. I have already woken up, kindly please click on my name and see what message and image of my motherland I am showing the world.
@Diggvijay Singh: Sir, please... enough of this lampoon.
@faraz: Thumbs up brother. =)
OMG, why is it even the top most story?
This is a bet that people who are in favour of difa e Pakistan are DEOBANDI!!! hence proven...? :P
Please make corrections,
JUD was banned by UN due to alleged links with LET (Lashkar-e-Tayba) no LET (Lashkar e Jhangvi) Hence, it is not banned in Pakistan, in fact supreme court of Pakistan has given its ruling in favor of JUD denying any links with Kashmiri Jehadi organization LET.
Let this Hameed Gul guy be-----he is struggling to cope with his senility. He must lie as that's a way of life for him. The best help you can provide him is just ignore him, no more coverage, just let him fade away into memories of his his self created glories and dreams of being the final Khalifa of his umma of terrorists etc. If we are bothered, too, much then we'll take care our as well as his pronlems.
I heard Gen.Hameed Gul's interview on Aaj TV. My God! Vanity and takabbur! Thy name is Gen Hameed Gul. My simple question is why doesn"t he joins Taliban who are fighting against US and Nato in Afghanistan?
Hamid Gul is a liar and the main source of Taliban's strength. He should be banned and kept under house arrest. these type of retarded general is jeoparding Pakistan's unity and supporting anti Pakistani elements in a way so that they attack Pakistan.
This provides further evidence that this organization inadvertently supports the Taliban. People like Maj Gen. Hamid Gul have shamed the Pak military.
Difa-e-Pakistan is a star-studded party. It the crowning jewel of the Ummah of which Pakistan is the protector. The leaders of Difa-e-Pakistan, are each a jewel, from ruby to the rarest diamond, whose rule will unleash an era of peace and prosperity.
@faraz:
Those are your claims. If all of these were true how could they be so popular? Pakistan is an Islamic demo-cracy. Do you what 'demo' means in Greek? It means 'people'. If Islamic people of Pakistan feel their life's problems will be solved by this new united organization then it is their choice. They have not killed or mutilated anyone in the rally. They are just forming a peaceful solid organization to run Pakistan by Islamic commandments. Our Indian government should acknowledge this reality and talk to this popular party of Pakistan.
I heard that an office bearer of PTI also showed up at the meeting. Is that true? Has Kaptaan Khan endorsed this 'holy alliance'?
birds of feather
My question to all of you is that could this rainbow of such charming religious hardliners have been possible without some nudging and pushing from the right quarters? Consider the presence of Hamid Gul, Shaikh Rashid, Ijazul Haq each one with their loyalties to the"right" quarters. Consider Samiul Haq the father of the "good Taliban" and Mr. Saeed of JUD and LT fame, needing no intro to his connections. Consider also the absence of Fazlur Rehman, who has been spouting anti national security state rhetoric of late, and the identity of the patrons doesnt remain much of a mystery. But why? Why do the "boys" need these beards? Maybe not willing to put all the eggs in the skipper's basket? Maybe the west needs to be constantly reminded why we cant "do more". As ALice said in Wonderland, "it gets curiouser and curiouser".
Pervez Musharraf is a non issue now. He will be remembered as one of the worst leaders of Pakistan. We should not be worried how his name is spelt. He is making money while sitting in London, while Pakistan suffering becuase of his ill doings.
Difa-e-Pakistan, "Difa" from what? 1-the indiference that has been created in balochistan 2-the every rising prices of every single commodity. 3-the bombs and suicide bomb 4-Rogged medicines 5-the huge debt burdon we are facing. can anyone please tell me, what "difa" means in "Difa-e-Pakistan" council?
@faraz: I think people have grown sick of Mullah stereotype of Pakistan.
@Diggvijay Singh
It consists of JuD which is UN banned organization. SSP which is a sectarian organization and Malik Ishaq is head of LeJ which is involved in almost every terrorist attack inside Pakistan
@Pakistan politics
The secular extremists who blew up a mosque today?
brig ali khan is being court marshaled for having contacts with a banned group HuT and here we have a former DG ISI gen sb attending open public mass rallies of another banned outfit JuD.... amazing ? infact JuD is conducting rallies in all parts of pakistan, including liaqat bagh, just 3 kms away from GHQ
=) what a funny piece of land
Finally Pakistan has found a strong united party which can lead it to the excellence achieved in the Golden times of the first four Caliphs. The Difa-e-Pakistan representatives look very homely and peaceful - very unlike the false image that has been sold internationally. In fact, one of the leaders, Malik Ishaq is so moderate, dignified and quiet in his bearing that he declined to speak even a word in the rally.
Defa-e-Pakistan rallies are going to end up in Death-e-Pakistan in not so distant future if GOP do not stop and turn a blind eye on them.
*@Pakistan politics: pakistan should follow Defa-e-pakistan...it will be better for future of pakistan....
@Pakistani Hindu: i think u should first wake up and then use to tell to others pakistani people for "wake up...by saying two words ,no one can be woken up..you should start first ......and we will support defa-epakistan..
@Pakistani Hindu: Root of all evils is secular extremism, Stop all these liberal who are making sense of nonsense
Root of all evils in Pakistan.. religious extremism. Stop these terrorists now or our future will be the same as Afghanistan.
big deal
Why does your reports always have a mistake... It's pervez musharf not pervez sharif.. Improve your standards..