Pro-Taliban groups harden stand

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 3. The hard-liners within Pakistan, opposed to any action from the country against Afghanistan, appear determined to resist any possible U.S. action.

This was evident from two developments. First was a massive rally organised by one of the factions of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) at Quetta on Tuesday evening. While the estimates of the crowd that turned up widely varied, there was no mistake about the `anti-American sentiment' among those who turned up.

Second the four leaders of the Council for Defence of Afghanistan, representing major religious parties in Pakistan, have decided to cancel their proposed trip to Kandahar for an audience with the Taliban supremo, Mullah Omar. These leaders including the Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Quazi Hussain Ahmed, have been in the forefront of the opposition to any possible American action against Afghanistan from Pakistan soil.

Last week the leaders reportedly refused to be part of the delegation of the ulema, facilitated by the Musharraf Government to fly to Kandahar, to call on Mullah Omar in a bid to persuade him to hand over Osama bin Laden and avoid a confrontation with the United States.

The leaders had announced that they might decide to visit Kandahar sometime this week. Now indications are that they have decided to call off their visit in view of the hardening of postures by both the Taliban and the United States. Of course there is no doubt that these leaders are with the Taliban. Reports in the Pakistani media suggest that the Quetta rally organised by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, was a success. One Urdu paper said that addressing a huge gathering, he said that geographical boundaries were made for rulers and not for the Ummah.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been under attack from some quarters within Pakistan for his alleged remarks recently that if he had to make a choice between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he would opt for the latter.

Earlier, authorities had refused permission for the meeting but blockage of roads and demonstrations all over the city forced them to allow it. Thousands marched through the streets of Quetta along with the JUI (F) chief apart from burning the American flag and the effigy of Bush.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman told the gathering that the statement of U.N. immigrant authorities that a plan for five million Afghan immigrants was chalked out in December last year was evidence that the U.S. had been planning to attack Afghanistan even before September 11.

Referring to reports regarding formation of a Government in Afghanistan under the leadership of King Zahir Shah, he said Zahir Shah could not help Afghans in a situation where he himself was seeking help.

He reportedly said that more than 44 outfits in the U.S. had been involved in terrorist activities but no action had been ever taken against them.

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