Difa-i-Pakistan: ‘Reopen the NATO supply line at your peril’

Protesters pledge their lives for the cause.


Our Correspondent March 24, 2012

LAHORE: If the parliament reopens the NATO supply line through the courts, the Difa-i-Pakistan Council (DPC) will stop the supplies any which way it can, said Jamatud Dawa (JD) leader Dr Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki on Friday. Dr Makki was addressing a protest demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club.

Calling the parliament, ‘affected by the NRO,’ Dr Makki said it had no mandate to reopen the NATO supply. Also, he said, if it did, it would be legalising an illegal step taken by former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

Dr Makki said the president, prime minister and the parliament could not be trusted to take a decision in national interest.

He said PPP members of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, formed to provide recommendations on whether NATO supplies should be reopened, were sworn to secrecy regarding the proceedings of the committee which was in favour of the restoration of the facility.

Close to 200 protesters gathered in front of the Lahore Press Club after Friday prayers. Similar protests were organised by the DPC in other parts of the country.

America ki barbadi tak, jang rahay gi, jang rahay gi; India ki barbadi tak, jang rahey gi, jang rahey gi; and Sabilana, Sabilana, Aljehad Aljehad were some of the slogans that rang out. Defence of Pakistan is only possible through Jehad was the banner under which the rally was taken out. On buses and trucks, protestors headed from Jamia Qadsia and ended up at the Lahore Press Club.

On the call of the speakers, the protesters pledged to sacrifice their lives to stop the NATO supply line from being reopened.

JD secretary general Qari Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh said they would stop the NATO supply through jehad. He said the people of Pakistan were ready for jehad and were waiting for a single call.

Jamaat-i-Islami leader Dr Farid Paracha said the US was asking Saudi Arabia and Qatar to mediate a dialogue with the Taliban. He added that the Pakistani government would strengthen the US hand if it agreed to reopen the supply route.

Dr Paracha warned all parliament members to be ready for the consequences if they legalised the NATO supply route. He said none of them would be able to face their constituents.

Jamiat Ahle Hadith leader Hafiz Abdul Ghaffar Ropari said its workers would bomb any NATO containers that travelled through Pakistan. He said the supplies would be stopped regardless of the parliament’s decision.

Jamiat Mashaikh Ahle Sunnat president Pir Saifullah Khalid said the opposition and government were hand in glove with regard to the reopening of the NATO supplies. He said Ahle Sunnat youth were trained for jehad and had no links with any terrorists. However, he added, that the youth were waiting for orders to carry out resistance. He said the government would not be able stop them.

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Ameer Syed Munawar Hasan said the JI would join patriotic forces in blocking the NATO supply line. He warned the government of serious consequences if it tried to prevent political and religious parties from protesting.

Commenting on official statements to reconsidering Pak-US relations, he said all such statements were pointless as the government leaders wanted to use the parliament like a rubber stamp.

“The real issue is the restoration of the NATO supplies. The government wants to make the parliament an instrument to get the supply line restored,” he said.

He warned that if the parliamentary decisions did not reflect the national spirit, people would take to the streets.

The JI ameer said that if the NATO supplies continued, drone attacks and Salala-like incidents would also continue to take place.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24th, 2012.

COMMENTS (4)

gp65 | 12 years ago | Reply

"Dr Makki said the president, prime minister and the parliament could not be trusted to take a decision in national interest."

Of course not. JuD are the sole custodians of national interest - right Dr. Makki?

MUSLIM PAKISTANI | 12 years ago | Reply

DPC is fast becoming a ray of shining hope for Pakistanis with self respect and respect for this nation's sovereignty. Finally someone who speaks up against CIA's flagrant abuse of Pakistan's alliance in the form of drones and salala. Pakistan should once and for all shut down all routes for NATO, including air routes.

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