Afghan group rejects U.N. move to deploy monitors

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, AUG. 28. The Council for Defence of Afghanistan, an umbrella outfit of religious and militant outfits in Pakistan, has rejected the United Nations plan to deploy monitors in Pakistan to oversee the implementation of the Security Council resolutions against Afghanistan.

A conference organised by the Council, created just before the second round of sanctions imposed by the U.N. in January this year, has described the plan as ``an act of discrimination and aggression'' against Afghanistan and vowed to resist it. The conference, organised and presided over by its convener, Maulana Samiul Haq, was attended by prominent political leaders. They included Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, chief of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), Mr. Raja Zafarul Haq and Mr. Javed Hashmi of PML-N, Mr. Ijazul Haq of PML (Like Minded), Mr. Liaqat Baloch of Jamaat-e-Islam and Mr. Afaq Ahmed of MQM (H).

Besides the former chief of ISI, Gen. Hameed Gul, Maulana Masood Azhar of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Malik Faridullah of Millat Party, Haji Mohammad Adeel of Awami National Party, the Afghan Ambassador in Pakistan, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef and representatives of several other organisations took part in the deliberations. The impressive turnout of political and religious leaders and the stand against the United Nations and the West at the conference is an indication of the growing sympathy for the Taliban regime within Pakistan.

A declaration adopted at the conference criticised the U.N. attitude. It said the U.N. vigorously pursued the resolutions against Afghanistan but ignored the issues of Palestine and Kashmir. The meeting alleged that the real objective of the deployment plan was to assign the monitors the duty of watching sensitive nuclear installations in Pakistan. It urged the Musharraf Government to reject the U.N. decision even though the military regime has already declared that as a responsible member of the U.N. it would abide by its directives.

The conference urged the U.N. to shun ``arbitrary actions'' and recognise the Taliban Government. It also urged the OIC to recognise the Taliban Government and assist in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. It appealed to Russia and China to take a realistic view of the Taliban Government and to play their role in ``foiling the international conspiracies'' in the region. Describing the defence of Afghanistan and Pakistan as a joint responsibility, the meeting declared that the people of Pakistan would stand shoulder to shoulder with their tribal brethren in resisting the U.N. move.

In a related development various religious and political parties have assured Jehadi outfits that if the Government imposed a ban against them, they would extend full support to these outfits.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Rushdie vents his fury on U.K. again