Showing solidarity with the armed forces, lawyers, traders and journalists on Tuesday denounced the NATO attack in Mohmand Agency and announced they would hold a protest rally on Thursday. Clearing their side amid any suspicion of being aide of military establishment against democracy, the lawyers and journalists categorically said their support was for the Army men safeguarding the borders, not for the Generals attacking the judiciary and media.
Lahore Bar Association President Shahzad Hassan Sheikh, All Pakistan Traders Association President Khalid Pervez, Punjab Union of Journalists President and Lahore Press Club President Sarmad Bashir announced they would hold a protest rally from Aiwane-Adl to Charing Cross on Thursday noon, and unanimously resolved to stay united against any foreign aggression. Sarmad Bashir, pointing out the extreme security lapse of Pakistan, asked the government and the armed forces to clarify why an attack could not be defended despite the stay of NATO gun-ships for more than two hours in Pakistani airspace. The LBA president said the US-led NATO had violated the “geographical and ideological boundaries” of Pakistan. ISAF, NATO and US could never be friends of Pakistan, he added. Khalid Pervez said the nation stood united, and politicians must forget their differences for the sake of the country. He said the “products of Jews” would be boycotted. The LBA president said traffic on the Mall Road would not be blocked and a peaceful crowd would walk on the road side. He said the DCO had been informed about the rally but no reply had yet been received from his office.
The LPC president said the city district government was supposed to provide alternative places before imposing Section 144 on rallies on the Mall. Therefore they were holding the rally on Mall, he said.
