Condemning the Rawalpindi incident, Defence of Pakistan Council (DPC) on Monday termed it as a grave conspiracy against the country and appealed the people to demonstrate patience and tolerance. Speaking at a news conference here, DPC Chief Maulana Sami-ul-Haq backed the protest call given by various religious-cum-political parties against the tragedy on Friday next and appealed the people to show patience during the protest demonstrations.
Professor Hafiz Mohammad Saeed of Jama'at-ud-Da'wah, Liaqat Baloch of Jamaat-i-Islami, Maulana Ahmad Ludhianvi of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ), General Hamid Gul (Retd), Ejaz-ul-Haq and others were also present on the occasion. Maulana Sami-ul-Haq urged the government to arrest the culprits involved in the incident and make proper legislation on the recommendations of Ulema board to sort out long-term solution to the problem.
"The government should make legislation in the parliament on the recommendations of the Ulema board and ban blasphemous materials against any sect or any respectful personalities of different sects," he added. He also announced that the DPC would also convene all-parties conferences in all fours provinces for the promotion of peace and tranquility in the country. He also stressed the need for evolving a code of conduct for public meetings and processions in the country, adding one should not hurt the sentiments of others.
He said protests and demonstrations would not resolve the issue and also appealed the government to expose the real culprits involved in the Rawalpindi tragedy. He said Rawalpindi incident was a conspiracy to create chaos in the country through sectarian clashes.
He said Ulema played a positive role in order to maintain peace and save the country of the sectarian clashes, as it was understood that if the menace of sectarian violence erupted it would badly affect the entire country. He further said that as per evidence, it was not an incident but a pre-planned conspiracy to sabotage the religious harmony, however people exhibited patience and foiled the conspiracy against the country.
He also criticised the government's helplessness in maintaining law and order which according to him further aggravated the situation. According to him, the root cause of all the problems in the country was the US war, imposed on the country by a former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, adding the government should immediately announce to pull the country out of that war and stop the Nato supplies to the US-led ISAF forces in Afghanistan through Chaman and Torkham border.
Referring to the proposed peace talks with the Taliban, he said the government should express seriousness in the talks with Taliban, as military operation against the countrymen was not solution to the problem. About the government plan to initiate a high treason case against Pervez Musharraf, he said the government should take the high treason case against Musharraf to its logical end.
On Kashmir dispute, he said DPC demanded of the government to put forward the long-standing demand of Kashmir people of right to self-determination before the world. He warned the government to refrain from granting the most favoured nation (MFN) status to India.