Ahead of protest march, Malik "requests" JI chief to be "less harsh" on Govt

Lahore, May 20 (ANI): The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has reportedly sent its representative to Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) headquarters in Mansoora with a request that the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) should avoid taking a tough stance against the government during the long march scheduled to take place on May 27, adding that the government will not create any hurdle in its march towards Islamabad.

According to sources in the PPP sources, Interior Minister, Rehman Malik has requested JI chief, Syed Munawar Hasan that the latter should kindly ask the member parties of the Council not to make any demands or take a tough stance against the government during the long march towards Islamabad, reports The Nation.

Munawar, however, is said to have refused to convey this request, sources said.

The government, after the refusal, will now take some kind of extra-ordinary measures to counter the DPC long march, sources added.

According to sources, the government is also worried that the resumption of NATO supply in the current month could turn the DPC long march into an aggressive march, which may continue till the dislodging of the current set up and at a later stage could be joined by the PML-N and PTI.

Munawar said NATO supply resumption would tantamount to turning the entire country into a Salala check post like situation, where an U.S. air raid had killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last November. (ANI)