Sporadic protests in Pak. against support to U.S.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, SEPT. 28. There were reports today of sporadic protests throughout Pakistan in response to the call given by religious and militant outfits against possible American retaliation against Afghanistan from the Pakistani soil.

The managers of the Musharraf Government heaved a sigh of relief as the second Friday after the September 11 incidents was without any untoward incident. Four persons were killed and scores injured in different incidents in Karachi during demonstrations last Friday.

There is no doubt that the military Government has so far been able to demonstrate its capability to deal with parties and outfits opposed to its decision to side with the U.S. in its fight against the Saudi fugitive, Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban. But the question being debated here in various circles is whether the situation would remain the same if and when the U.S. decides to launch a military campaign against the Taliban for sheltering Osama. Some tough posturing by the Musharraf Government in the last three days with the U.S. vis-a-vis the Taliban has helped to some extent cool the tempers of the hard- liners. Reports continue to appear in the local media about preparations by activists of various militant and religious outfits for a jehad if the U.S. were to attack Afghanistan. One report said more than 200 ulemas belonging to different schools of thought in Pakistan had issued a decree in favour of jehad against any U.S. aggression in Afghanistan. People had been asked to get enrolled for the jehad in nearby mosques and religious seminaries.The pro-Taliban and religious outfits are going ahead with their rhetoric unmindful of the warnings by the Interior Minister, Lt. Gen. (retd.) Moinuddin Haider. In a chat with the BBC, the Minister had warned that any talk of waging a jehad on behalf of the Taliban would ``create a gulf between the Pakistan Government and these outfits''.

The Minister said Pakistan had been urging the Taliban to refrain from training Pakistani youths. In another development the Hizb- ul Mujahideen has denied any links with the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and accused the Indian Government of concocting charges to kill innocent Muslims. In a press statement, the Hizb spokesman, Mr. Salim Hashmi, said his organisation had denied the charges in the past and was once forced to counter the Indian `propaganda'.

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Section  : International
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