LAHORE, Oct 14: All Ahle Hadith parties and 26 religious organizations in the Pak-Afghan Defence Council held separate anti-America rallies in the city on Sunday.

Speakers at both the rallies termed the growing divide between the government and the people on the Afghan issue a major danger for the country.

The rally of the Ahle Hadith Majlis-i-Amal comprising eight parties of the school of thought was held at Regal on The Mall and its main speakers including Lashkar-i-Taiba Chief Hafiz Saeed and Prof Sajid Mir asked the government to heed the voice of the people and start supporting Afghanistan as America was not a friend of Islam and Pakistan.

Hafiz Saeed said Pakistan was moving towards a clash between the government and the people which was more dangerous than the fear of an attack from India. The situation was posing a danger for Pakistan and lack of harmony between the government and the people would render it unable to face any challenge, he said.

The rally on the call of the Pak-Afghan Defence Council was organized by the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan at the Lahore Hotel Crossing. A comparatively small number of workers from the component parties attended the rally.

They carried banners and placards and raised anti-America and anti-government slogans and dispersed peacefully after their leaders delivered brief speeches. Heavy contingent of police remained posted at the crossing during the procession.

Speakers, including JI’s Mian Maqsood Ahmad, Saifuddin Saif, Maulana Afzal Leghari, Qari Abdur Rehman, Qari Muhammad Ashraf Saeedi, Syed Ziaul Hasan, Qazi Waqar and SSP’s Maulana Abdul Qayyum Rabbani, urged the people to fully observe the countrywide strike on the call of the main leadership of the Pak-Afghan Defence Council on Monday.

They condemned America for what they said bombing innocent Afghan people. Everybody in Pakistan was with Taliban and Osama bin Laden who would emerge victorious in the war imposed on them by America.

They termed America the biggest terrorist on earth. It turned a blind eye to the atrocities being committed against Palestinians and Kashmiris and was now attacking Afghanistan under the pretext of curbing terrorism, they said. They urged the people to also lend material support to their Afghan brethren and send them food, medicines, warm clothes and tents.

The rally by the Ahle Hadith Majlis-i-Amal was attended by a considerable number of activists who blocked The Mall and chanted spirited slogans against America and the government, and in favour of Taliban and Osama bin Laden.

Police in anti-riot gear remained posted on the scene but kept a distance from the protesters who dispersed peacefully after listening to the speeches by the leaders.

Lashkar-i-Taiba Chief Hafiz Saeed said American president Bush had started a ‘crusade’ against the Islamic world, directly targeting Islam, jihad and Muslims.

He said the major target after Afghanistan would be nuclear Pakistan which had always backed mujahideen wherever they were. A jihadi and nuclear Pakistan was not acceptable to America “that is why it is in deep trouble.”

Hafiz Saeed said like the entire Muslim world, all Pakistanis were with Afghanistan, Taliban and Osama bin Laden whom they considered their leader and were unwilling to accept him as a villain as was being portrayed by America.

He regretted the stance of the Pakistan government, the official electronic media and some newspapers, saying they were weakening the position of Pakistan.

Hafiz Saeed said the president had justified his support to America by saying that it had averted an attack from India. This was a false justification as India did not have any courage to attack Pakistan. “Keep away and the mujahideen will counter America and India,” he said.

He said the division between the government and the people had put the country into a dangerous situation. He said the president had announced support for America under some compulsions but when the situation had now been changed, he must also alter his policy and heed the will of the pro-Afghan people.

“The situation will improve if you change your policy,” he said, claiming that the country was moving towards a collision between the government and the people. The government must explain to America that it could no longer support it, Hafiz Saeed said.

He said American Secretary of State Collin Powel was coming to Pakistan to impose a solution to the Kashmir issue. But, he warned, the mujahideen would not accept any agreement and continue their jihad in Kashmir and support to Afghanistan.

Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith’s Prof Sajid Mir said Pakistan and the entire Islamic world were facing a critical situation because of the American aggression on a weak Muslim state.

He said America would taste a defeat as its soldiers were afraid of death and were pitched against mujahideen who were out to embrace martyrdom. He urged Muslims to get united to fight against America.

Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith leader Maulana Moeenuddin Lakhvi said all the worldly super powers had assembled against Islam. The Pakistani government had shown its weakness by supporting America against the will of the people.

Other speakers included Ihtesham Elahi Zaheer, Maulana Abdul Wahab Ropari, Dr Rashid Randhawa, Prof Hafiz Muhammad Ayub, Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Salfi, Maulana Naeem Butt, Maulana Abur Rehman Makki and Maulana Mian Muhammad Jamil.

People were asked to observe the strike on Monday to show the world that they were united in their support to Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Khaksar Tehrik also staged an anti-America demonstration at Shahalam Gate under its leader Hameeduddin Almashriqi.