KARACHI: Build-up of Indian forces termed alarming
KARACHI, Dec 23: Various political parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N), on Sunday expressed concern over the build-up of the Indian armed forces on Pakistan’s borders, saying that the entire nation was united and backed the armed forces of the country.
The senior vice chairman of the PPP, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, the chairman of the National People’s Party, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, the senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), Mian Ejaz Shafi, the president of the Jamiat Ulema Pakistan, Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, the Naib Amir of the Jamaat Islami, Prof Ghafoor Ahmed, and the chairman of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, Afaq Ahmed, underlined the need for “extreme vigilance” at a meeting here on Sunday.
The president of the Singh High Court Bar Association, Abul Inam, and the president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, A.Q. Khalil, also attended the meeting.
Mr Fahim underscored the importance of national unity. He said that India would have to think ten times before attacking Pakistan, adding that “we will have to remain alert, though”.
He noted that only an elected government could deal with India effectively.
“During army rule in the country, there have been wars with India.”
Mr Jatoi said India always tried to harass and tarnish the image of Pakistan at international forums.
He said the world was fully aware of the facts that the attack on the Indian parliament had been “Indian state-managed drama”.
He said he failed to understand why the Indian government refused Pakistan’s offer as well as of the United States of a joint probe into the attack on the Indian parliament. He recalled an India-engineered attack on the state assembly building in Srinagar a few weeks back.
He described the current situation on the borders as grave and underlined the need for remaining vigilant and forging unity to face the crisis.
He said India was aware of the ground realities but said “we have to remain a united nation to thwart Indian evil designs”.
He said the UN Security Council resolutions of 1948 for giving the right of self-determination to the Kashmiris were not being implemented, whereas those against Iraq were immediately enforced. He said a freedom struggle had been going on in Occupied Kashmir for the past 12 years.
Mr Shafi described the situation on the borders as “serious” and called for remaining alert and vigilant.
“We will effectively face Indian threats”.
He called for rule by elected representatives in the country.
Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani observed that the present situation was similar to the one which had prevailed during 1965 and 1971 wars with India. He stressed the need for demonstrating total unity and support to the government in order to thwart Indian aggressive designs.
He said Pakistan was facing threats not only from India externally, but also from the United States and its allies internally. He added that the US was now entrenched in the region in order to implement its New World Order.
The JUP chief said India wanted to destroy Pakistan and its nuclear assets on the instigation of the US. He said the US and its allied forces had killed innocent Afghan people.
Prof Ghafoor Ahmed said the attack on the Indian parliament had been “an Indian drama”. He regretted that the government was not trying to unite the people although all political and religious parties had announced to sink their differences and protect the territorial integrity of Pakistan.
Mr Afaq Ahmed emphasized the need for extending moral support to the armed forces for safeguarding the territorial integrity of Pakistan. He called for unity among the people to thwart Indian evils designs against the country.
Mr Khalil said the nation, including the business community, was united against India. He said that Osama bin Laden had been made a scapegoat as Central Asian States oil and gas reserves were vital for the US.
Mr Inam supported the views expressed by various political leaders.
Others who attended the meeting included the acting PPP secretary-general, Mian Raza Rabbani, N.D. Khan, Rashid Rabbani, PML(N) leader Shah Mohammad Shah, JUP leader Shah Faridul Haq, Hafiz Taqi, former Sindh Governor Kamal Azfar, Centre for Development and Democracy Chairman Nafis Siddiqui, PML(F) leader Bostan Ali Hoti, PML(Q) Chief Amanullah Khan, Jamshed Khan, Jam Karam Ali, Abdul Sami Khan, Dr Rahimul Haq, Afzal Munif and others.
