LAHORE, Nov 24: The Pak-Afghan Defence Council’s Punjab chapter on Saturday condemned the arrest of Pakistan’s nuclear scientist Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood and his colleagues, and their interrogation at, what it said, the American embassy.

Adopting a resolution at a meeting chaired by its president Hafiz Muhammad Idrees of the Jamaat-i-Islami, the council termed the scientist as a national hero who played a key role in making Pakistan a nuclear power while ignoring all international temptations. The way the rulers had recognized his services was condemnable, it said.

It termed the arrest of the scientist and his colleagues an action inimical to the sovereignty of Pakistan. These scientists did not commit any crime and America was annoyed with them because they had pushed a Third World country into the international atomic club.

The council urged the people to take stock of the situation and register their protest.

Adopting another resolution, the council termed the arrest of the leaders of political and religious parties as a negative tactic by the government and resolved to continue with the anti-America movement.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami acting amir Syed Munawwar Hasan said the Pakistani people’s support to Afghanistan would continue. He alleged that America and Pakistan government were responsible for the bloodshed in Afghanistan and stressed the need for protecting the Kashmir cause and Pakistan’s nuclear assets under the circumstances.

Speaking at the party’s central executive council meeting he said American attack on Afghanistan was a part of the international conspiracy being hatched for the past quite some time against Islam and ummat.

Mr Hasan said the ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan would not be over. He said after destroying Afghanistan the West was now after Kashmir and Pakistan’s nuclear installations.

He said the Pak-Afghan Defence Council would continue its movement against America during Ramazan and it would announce its programme for the post-Eidul Fitr days shortly.