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ISLAMABAD, July 4 (Xinhua) -- An opposition alliance in Pakistan on Wednesday announced a protest march against the government's decision to reopen supply line for NATO forces in Afghanistan. The Defense of Pakistan Council (DPC), an amalgamation of dozens of religious and political groups, announced to hold long march from the eastern city of Lahore to the capital Islamabad from July 8 to protest against the government's decision of reopening the NATO supply routes, head of the Council, Maulana Samiul Haq said. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Council in the city of Rawalpindi, which also decided to hold an all party conference to decide details of the march on July 7. The DPC will also observe July 6 as a black day, he said. He also called all religious and political parties to join the march to force the government to withdraw the decision as the decision would involve Pakistan into Afghanistan war and bloodshed. Samiul Haq said that a committee of the DPC will speak to leaders of opposition parties including the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) to win their support against the NATO supply restoration. In response to a question, Haq said that the resumption of the supply line is "un-Islamic" since the arms to be transported through Pakistan are being used to "kill Muslims". Additionally, he said that resumption is also against the sentiments of the Pakistani public and parliamentary recommendations. He called on the government to resign immediately for this unacceptable act since the resumption did not reflect a democratic decision of democratically elected government. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Syed Munawar Hassan also strongly condemned the restoration of NATO supplies and said that the rulers had put a seal on the "document of their slavery." Hassan added that while the government had strengthened the enemies of Islam and Pakistan, the nation would have to rise for its independence and for the protection of its nuclear weapons. "The nation should unite as one man against this anti-Pakistan decision and close all supply routes," he added. Hasan further said that the rulers had served the U.S. interests at the cost of vital national interest and the decision would prove to be their "death warrant", he said, adding that the "so-called" apology by the U.S. secretary of state was a "play of words" and it did not mention the drone attacks. The Jamaat chief further said that the rulers in Islamabad were so mindful of the U.S. interests that they also withdrew their demand for a transit fee of 5,000 U.S. dollars per container. |
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