“In December last, Kashmiri hardliners, sectarianism-fanning extremists and Taliban-sympathisers were seen holding hands together on stage in Lahore under a banner decorated with images of arms, ammunition and a call for ‘Jihad”, wrote Taha Siddiqui in a column in a famous international newspaper dated Feb 11, 2012. These diehard fanatical Islamists, closely linked to, or sponsors of various banned terrorist organizations of Pakistan, formed Difa-e Pakistan Council (DPC), with the tacit agenda of fighting the US and India as enemies of Pakistan. Reportedly, they are the beneficiaries of enormous funding from Saudi-based al-Rabita “to keep the circus going on”, as one Pakistani journalist said. In the name of Islamic jihad in Kashmir, they have accelerated their anti-India activities by holding rallies in different parts of PoK. Unexpectedly, in recent months they had to face sharp resentment from the peace loving and nationalistic-minded people of PoK in Muzaffarabad and other places. Some months back, the people of Neelam Valley brought out a strong rally in protest against the presence of bands of LeT ad HUM militants in those areas trying to sneak into India territory. They warned that if authorities failed to check their movement in Neelam, the people would take law into their hand and deal with the situation. The other day All Parties National Alliance (APNA), an alliance of nationalist and progressive individuals, groups, organizations and political parties of PoK issued a joint statement condemning the “fiery and irresponsible speeches” of the so-called Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) at Muzaffarabad. The resolution said that PoK was a secular state and people of all faiths lived here in peace and amity. The DPC was seeking to divide people based on faith, which was not acceptable to them. These happenings show that sensible people of PoK hate and despise hard-line Pakistani Islamist leadership trying to disrupt peace. This is a revelation to the separatists and militants in Kashmir Valley who feel proud of fraternizing with those wedded to violence.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel