Difa-e-Pakistan Council


The Difa-e-Pakistan Council formerly named Pakistan-Afghanistan Defense Council is an umbrella coalition of more than 40 Pakistani Political and Religious right-wing groups.
The coalition advocated policies such as opposition to War in Afghanistan, closing NATO supply routes to Afghanistan and rejected granting India most-favored nation status.
The council is an alliance of right-wing groups, some of which are banned terrorist outfits and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal was a breakaway group of the council formed in 2002. In 2001, Sami-ul-Haq was appointed the president of the council.
The organization includes leaders of Jamatud Dawa and is led by Ahmed Ludhianvi, the leader of Sipah-e-Sahaba and Fazlur Rehman Khalil, the founder of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, is the vice president of the council.

History

2001 Establishment

In the wake of the September 11 attacks and the United States-led invasion of Afghanistan, a coalition of Pakistani political and Islamist figures established the Pakistan-Afghanistan Defense Council. The council served as a think tank and coordinating body for groups opposed to the war and founding members included figures such as Sami-ul-Haq, Hamid Gul, Azam Tariq, and Abdul Rashid Ghazi. The organization was eventually dissolved, and its leading members joined the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, a unified coalition of religious parties, ahead of the 2002 general elections.

2011 Reestablishment

The organization was reestablished in November 2011 in response to the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers who were killed by American gunships and warplanes along the Afghan border.
Pakistan closed NATO supply routes to Afghanistan after the strikes but reopened the routes in July 2012 when U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton apologized. In response thousands of supporters rallied in Islamabad on 9 July 2012 in protest of the government's decision to reopen the lines.

2011 Members

According to the council's website, 36 organizations or people are part of the DPC:

  1. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
  2. Jamatud Dawa
  3. Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan
  4. Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat
  5. Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan
  6. Ansar ul Ummah
  7. Sunni Ittehad Council
  8. Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith
  9. Jamiat Ahle-Hadith
  10. Pakistan Ulema Council
  11. JUI-N
  12. AMTKN-International
  13. Muslim Conference AJK
  14. Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam
  15. Mohsinan-e-Pakistan
  16. Pakistan Muslim League - Zia
  17. Awami Muslim League
  18. Sunni Ulema Council
  19. Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam
  20. AMTKN
  21. Tehreek-e-Ittehad
  22. Pakistan Water Movement
  23. Tehreek-e-Hurmat Rasool
  24. DPC Secretary Gen
  25. Tehreek-e-Azaadi Kashmir
  26. Muslim League-Sher-e-Bangal
  27. Christian Community
  28. Sikh Community
  29. Hindu Community Lahore
  30. Hindu Community Khi
  31. Jamiat Ittehad ul Ulema – Pakistan
  32. Mutahida Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith
  33. Jamiat Ashat Tauheed sunnah