DPC to hold ‘long march’ against blasphemous film on Oct 1

The Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) has announced to march from Peshawar to Jamrud on October 1 (Monday) in protest against the blasphemous anti-Islam movie. According to the schedule, the march will start from Ring Road Chowk in the morning and will terminate in Jamrud, Khyber Agency in the afternoon. Briefing the media, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Israrullah said the “long march” would be addressed by the leaders of the alliance’s constituent parties, such as JI chief Munawar Hasan, former ISI chief Lt General (r) Hamid Gul, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami chief Samiul Haq, and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.
Israrullah said the purpose behind the march was to force the government to compensate the families of the victims of violent rallies on September 21, and to build pressure on the United States for stern action against the producer of the blasphemous film. He said the DPC would hold similar rallies and protests elsewhere on the issue. Under DPC’s plan, the protestors will assemble at Ring Road Chowk on Monday morning before proceeding towards Jamrud Road. After passing through various important roads and installations, including the US Consulate in Peshawar, the demonstrators will stop for Zuhr (early afternoon) prayers at Speen Jamaat near Peshawar University. Later, the rally would continue towards Jamrud, where party leaders would deliver speeches in the afternoon. So far, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has not shown any reaction to the announced rally. However, the government may ask the protestors to change the rally’s route, as the government had already closed the main Khyber Road for traffic on September 21.