U.S. Envoy Asked To Apologize Over Afghan Statements
WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (IslamOnline) - Leaders of various pro-Taliban Islamic parties meeting in Islamabad yesterday under the aegis of the Afghan Defense Council vowed to launch an intense campaign against U.S ambassador Wiliam B. Milliam if he did apologize for threatening statements he made warning that Washington might attack Afghanistan.
Maulana Sami ul-Haq of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam said, "We ask him to offer an apology to the Pakistani nation as we have taken a strong notice of what the U.S. envoy said about the possibility of air strikes against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan."
He also called for a total boycott of McDonalds and other American products, and said that the Council has organized a protest rally for March 22nd against U.N. sanctions on Taliban.
Haq, while speaking to reporters, said the Council might demand that the U.S. ambassador leave the country. "We may even call that he may be declared persona non grata," he said.
The Council's Islamabad meeting also discussed in detail the prevailing situation in neighboring Afghanistan and passed resolutions calling for the lifting of sanctions against the Taliban and Libya.
Haq stated that one resolution, which was unanimously and exclusively addressed the U.S. ambassador, asserted that the envoy's statements had caused security problems for Pakistan because the ambassador asserted that Pakistan's soil could be used for any possible U.S. attack against Afghanistan.
The council also agreed to collect funds for Afghan refugees and agreed to meet with Islamabad-based foreign envoys and brief them on the situation.
"These governments will be asked to play their role and seek an end to U.N. sanctions against the Taliban," Haq said.
Liaquat Baloch of Jamaat-i-Islami, Azim Tariq of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, Hamid Gul, former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence, and others, also attended the meeting.
