Down with drones! DPC holds countrywide protests, demands government to stand up against drones

The ongoing protests against continuing US drone attacks gained further momentum on Friday when Defense of Pakistan Council (DPC) observed a countrywide protest day.

Participants of different parties, lawyers, students, business, and civil society members protested outside the Lahore Press Club. They were holding placards and banners with inscriptions carrying slogans against drones attacks, US, Nato and other ‘anti-Islam’ forces.

Jamatud Dawa (JD) chief Hafiz Muhammed Saeed led the demonstration while other speakers included Jamiat Ahle Hadith chief Hafiz Abdul Ghaffar Ropri, JD leaders Qari Muhammed Yaqoob Sheikh, Pir Saifullah Khalid, Molana Muhammed Yousaf Ahrar, Sheikh Naeem Badshah,Hafiz Talha Saeed, Molana Abuzar, Eng Muhammed Haris, Habiburehman, Sagheer Asad, Sanaullah Farooqi and others.

Saeed said US drone attacks were aimed at creating more suicide bombers as a reaction since the US officials and media had been accusing Islamabad of equal partner in drone attacks. He lamented that Islamabad rulers never proved the US accusations false except for making mere verbal statements which made their case doubtful.

He said both Americans and Indians were happy with drone and suicide attacks because the victims were always Pakistanis. He said US started drone attacks after realizing her defeat in Afghanistan, and in its efforts to avenge the defeat from Pakistan, which was the reason she made Pak territory a permanent war zone. He said the US, Indian and Israeli secret agencies were involved in this conspiracy.

He praised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s declaration to stop the Nato supply at all costs, but said Nato supply line should be cut off at Chaman alongside Torkham border. He said drone attacks had crossed all limits of patience, and, the whole nation would stand by PM Nawaz Shareef if he took a courageous decision to stop them.

He vowed to prolong the movement against drone attacks from DPC platform and urged the leaders of political, religious and social parties to lead the nation against the conspiracies of anti Islam forces. He said the real face of US was exposed during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visit to America when Obama spoke to him in the language used by Indian government as if he was speaking on behalf of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

He said Nawaz Sharif had seen Pak army exercises and the demonstration of shooting down drone, adding that now he should order shooting down US drones. He warned that without stopping drone attacks, lasting peace would never be restored in Pakistan. He said the central and provincial governments should hold the same opinion on this serious issue. He said that the Americans wanted to put a ban on Jamatud Dawa because the party had been voicing against US and Indian conspiracies against Pakistan.

Hafiz Abdulghafar Ropri said America wanted to pre-empt all the peace talks between government and Taliban so that her ambition of weakening Pakistan by inciting a civil war against Pak Army could succeed. He alleged that America was overseeing protection of Indian interests in the region and warned it would be a national negligence if drones are not shot down.

Tehreek Hurmat-e-Rasool Secretary General Qari Muhammed Yaqoob Sheikh said America was creating more TTP factions and suicide bombers by showering drone attacks in the tribal areas.