KARACHI, Oct 17: The Pak-Afghan Defence Council has condemned registration of treason cases and arrest of religious scholars including Maulana Samiul Haq, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Azam Tariq and Abdullah Shah Mazhar.

Demanding the immediate release of the leaders, the PADC, through a resolution, adopted at a meeting in the JI office here on Wednesday, observed that the religious leaders had been held for their actions reflecting the public sentiments.

The resolution asked the government to review its pro-US policies which, it said, were against the feelings of the people of the country.

The meeting condemned the imposition of a ban on various religious and welfare institutions without any probe and urged the government to repeal the decision.

Reviewing the situation in the wake of the continuous indiscriminate US bombings on Afghanistan, the meeting decided to organize a million-march on October 26 from Numaish Chowrangi to the Mereweather Tower for expressing solidarity with the Afghan Muslims.

Different committees were also formed to make proper arrangements for the march.

Meanwhile, in a public meeting, which was organized by Markazi Jamiat-i-Ahle Hadis and Pak-Afghan Defence Council on Shahrah-i-Qaideen, the leaders warned the government that the actual target of the United States was not Osama bin Laden but the nuclear installations of Pakistan.

Prof Hafiz Muhammad Saeed said that the objective of a long US war in Afghanistan was to begin crusades against the Muslims. “Our rulers have lost foresight and now the Ulema will lead the nation,” he said, and asked the generals to give way to Ulema to face the emerging challenges.

Prof Sajid Mir said the reality had dawned upon the nation that it was not Nawaz Sharif but the generals who were responsible for the retreat from Kargil. He said if surrendering before the super power could be termed an act of foresight, then no general could have more foresight than Gen Niazi.

He warned against consequences of blocking Jehad efforts and said that US action was not against Osama or Afghanistan but it was a war between the infidel forces and Islam.

Other who spoke on the occasion included Maulana Asad Thanvi, Maulana Abdul Karim Abid, Mufti Osman Yar Khan, Eng Ilyas Zubair.