The Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) presented its 10-point manifesto at its Karachi public gathering on Sunday, in which more than 40 religious and political parties participated.
However, attendance at the gathering was deemed dismal by most standards, as observers said it was more a rally of political parties than it was of their supporters. Despite all their efforts, all the parties combined could not even gather as many people as did former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf at his party’s public meeting.
Addressing the public meeting, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Samiul Haq said there was a need to free Pakistan from US policies and from religious and linguistic differences. “We have to appear before the nation as an example. We have to keep the country secure and support the Kashmiris’ cause,” he added.
Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader Hafiz Saeed said the group would not compromise on the integrity of the country. “I hope NATO supplies will never be restored. The US has failed in Afghanistan and now wants to come into Balochistan. We have to take care of our Baloch brothers,” he added. He said capitalism had failed in the world and now “the system of Allah will come”.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawar Hasan said the DPC was created to save the ideological frontiers of Pakistan. “We follow the law and the constitution will run the DPC. We demand that a caretaker government be formed before the general elections,” he added.
He said any elections held under the supervision of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani would be for the US. “The government wants to serve their US masters and their own interests through the general elections,” he said. Awami Muslim League President Sheikh Rashid said the corruption of the current government equaled the last 60 years of corruption in Pakistan. He said he was a supporter of democracy but not odd democracy.
DPC announces 10-point manifesto
