[shumozar]

KARACHI: The Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) has finalised all arrangements for its Defence of Pakistan rally, as the entire city witnessed a display of posters and banners placed by the Jamat-ut-Dawa, particularly at major intersections.

The DPC leaders vowed to stage a sit-in protest outside the Parliament House on February 20 against any plan for the restoration of Nato supplies. Besides, an all parties' conference will be held on the Balochistan issue on February 23.

Addressing a press briefing after the DPC leaders met at a local hotel on Saturday, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq said that they had discussed the country's situation in detail and decided to stage a sit-in protest outside the Parliament House on February 20 "since Nato supply line has been restored from Pakistan air space and drone attacks are being carried out incessantly in the country while the government is in no mood to review its policy".

In this regard, a DPC leaders' conference would be held in Islamabad on February 19, he added.

Maulana Sami further said that the DPC was extremely concerned on Balochistan issue, "as raising the Balochistan issue at the US Congress was a direct interference in Pakistan's internal affairs".

"The statement issued by the US Defence Committee was provocative and serious. The DPC stands beside the people of Balochistan and will play its due role in this regard."

He announced that the APC on the Balochistan issue would be held in Quetta on February 23 and the Baloch nationalist leaders would be taken on board.

JI chief Syed Munawwar Hassan said the biggest challenge confronting Pakistan was the US interference in the country's internal affairs as the latter took Pakistan as an easy prey. "The DPC's agenda is clear, i.e. the Nato supplies should remain discontinued. The restoration of Nato supplies via Pakistan's air space is a matter of grave concern and the DPC vehemently protests on the statement of US Ambassador to Pakistan," he added.