Islamabad: Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed criticised the Pakistan government`s move to grant Most Favoured Nation-status to India, claiming the neighbouring country was a bigger threat than the US.
Saeed, also the founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba that was blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, made the remarks while addressing a rally organised by the Defa-e-Pakistan Council in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
Noting that India is a greater threat to Pakistan than the US, Saeed said, "The Pakistan government is conspiring with the US to give in to Indian supremacy (in the region).”
“Granting the MFN-status to India is part of that plan. We must oppose this."
Saeed recalled that he had said during the Defa-e-Pakistan Council’s last rally in Lahore that he would ask the Prime Minister to set a date from withdrawing Pakistan from the US-led war on terrorism.
"Today we demand that you give us a date. We don`t want to fight the wars of the US. We have to fight Pakistan’s war," he said.
The current clash of institutions in Pakistan is the result of a "sin" committed 10 years ago by allowing the country`s soil to be used against Afghanistan and Muslims, Saeed said.
"Until we repent for that grave mistake, we will never be able to overcome these issues," he told the rally.
Saeed further said that closing NATO supply routes was not enough and Pakistan must re-evaluate its entire defence and foreign policy.
He said the Defa-e-Pakistan Council is working to bring together all political and religious parties to fight conspiracies against Pakistan and to tackle the challenges facing the country.
The Defa-e-Pakistan Council, an alliance of 40 extremist and political groups, has organised a series of meetings and rallies during which it has attacked India and the US.
Yesterday`s rally was also addressed by Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawar Hasan, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq, former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Hamid Gul, Pakistan Muslim League-Zia chief Ijaz-ul-Haq and former Army chief Gen (retired) Mirza Aslam Baig.
PTI
