The People’s Amn Committee (PAC), mainly Baloch supporters of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Karachi, staged a demonstration in front of the US consulate on Tuesday against “America’s threats” to Pakistan after tensions rose between the two countries over the latter’s alleged ties with the Haqqani network. The protest rally, which is the first such demonstration after the recent strain between the ties of the US and Pakistan, was led by PAC leader Zafar Baloch and was initiated from Lyari Town.
A number of participants, including women and children, were carrying national flags of the country as well as of the PPP. They were also playing national songs that blared out of their vehicle parked nearby.
Heavy contingents of the city police had blocked the Maulvi Tamizuddin Road leading to the US Consulate. However, the participants of the rally removed the hindrances and successfully reached in front of the Consulate building. Addressing the participants of the rally, Zafar Baloch said the US is hurling threats at Pakistan, despite the fact that Pakistanis have rendered a lot of sacrifices during the War on Terror, which is actually the ‘War of the US’. During this war, Baloch added, the country has lost 35,000 of its citizens as well as 6,000 personnel of its security forces. Moreover, the country has also suffered financial loss of around $7 billion, he said.
He also said Pakistan is still facing an economical crunch and the US is blackmailing it by accusing it of supporting the Haqqani Network. He claimed the US has adopted this “policy of threats” to save its own face as it has lost the Afghan War. “Mike Mullen is going to retire next week and he has started accusing other nations to save his own nation of embarrassment,” Baloch remarked. It is a condemnable act, he added.
During the 10-year War on Terror, the PAC leader said, the US has accused Pakistan of several things on different occasions, but it has levelled some serious allegations against the country this time around. He said the protesters took to the streets because the US is trying to humiliate Pakistan’s government, its army and the Inter-Service Intelligence.