Demonstrations against reopening NATO supply line held across Pakistan

7 July Xinhua

Islamic groups in Pakistan on Friday staged demonstrations in the county's major cities against government's decision to unblock routes for NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan.Pakistan reopened land routes to NATO convoys on Tuesday after nearly a seven-month closure following an apology by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over the death of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a NATO airstrike in November.

Demonstrations were organized by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council ( DPC), a joint platform of various religious and political parties, in all main cities and towns in the country to express anger at the government's decision.

In the southwestern city of Quetta, demonstrators burnt the portrait of President Barrack Obama, U.S. and NATO flags. Some youths beat the picture of President Obama with shoes.A large number of people marched in the port city of Karachi and lashed out at the government for allowing its land routes for supplies to U.S.and NATO forces.

Speaking to the rally, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Hussain Mehanti said the government's reopening of Nato supplies is against the will of people.Participants at the rally were holding placards and banners inscribed with anti-U.S. slogans.Mehanti said the United States had become a big threat to the security of the region, especially as it has turned a peaceful Afghanistan into a battlefield.Jamaat-ud-Daawa and other groups also staged demonstrations in Karachi, in which the speakers vowed to mobilize public opinion against the government's decision.Demonstrations and rallies were also held in parts of Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, against the resumption of Nato supply routes.

In Lahore, the capital of Punjab, Jamaat-e-Isalmi, Jamiat-e- Ahli Hadith and several other parties took out processions and condemned the unblocking NATO supply line.Jamaat leaders Munawar Hasan and Liaquat Baloch told a rally that the U.S. even did not tender apology and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton only said "sorry" and the Pakistani rulers just accepted that.

They said the government ignored the parliament resolution which had called for a halt to the U.S. drone strikes and imposition of tax on the NATO containers. But the government withdrew its demand for levying the tax on the NATO trucks.A demonstration was also held in Islamabad, in which the speakers demanded the government to withdraw its decision of reopening the NATO supply line.Rallies were also held in many cities including Hyderabad, Sukkur, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Mardan, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Dir.

The speakers expressed serious concerns over the government's decision to allow arms supply for Afghan security forces, saying that it will pave the way for Pakistan's involvement in the Afghan war.The DPC has also announced a long march on July 8 from Lahore upto the capital Islamabad.