Lahore, November 25: The Jamaat-ud-Dawah, blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, on Thursday organised a rally to protest the Pakistan government's move to give Most Favoured Nation-status to India.
JuD leaders who addressed the rally accused India of being behind shortage of water that is affecting Pakistani farmers.
Several farmers riding tractors participated in the rally, which wound its way from from Azadi Chowk to Nasir Bagh Chowk.
Senior JuD leader Ameer Hamza told the protestors that the organisation's chief, Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, has assured Kashmiri separatist leader Ali Shah Geelani that the JuD would oppose any move to give India MFN-status.
"When Pakistan announced that it might award MFN-status to India, Geelani called Hafiz Saeed, and he reassured Geelani that we will not leave Geelani alone... India can never be a most favourite nation for Pakistanis," Hamza said as the protesters shouted slogans against India.
Abdul Rehman Makki, the deputy chief of JuD and a close aide of Saeed, criticised Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar in connection with the move to give India MFN status.
"If this decision (to award MFN status to India) is not reversed, then those who are responsible for this decision will have to get reversed," he said.
Leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami and Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat, the front for the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba terror group, too joined the protest.
Reoprts said some farmers who participated in the rally had told them that they were paid amounts ranging Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 to join the protest.
Students from the JuD's madrassa at Muridke too joined the protest.
The JuD announced plans of two more protests at the Lahore Press Club on November 27 and at Iqbal Park on December 18.
In recent months, the JuD has organised several protests against dams being built in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging they would be used to divert Pakistan's share of river waters.
Following the Pakistan government's decision to normalise trade ties with India, the JuD has organised several protests.
--Agencies
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