London 15th November 2009 – Around one thousand men and women from the Pakistani and Muslim community in Britain gathered in London for a conference titled ‘Save Pakistan from America, Terror and Zardari’ organised by the UK branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, the global Islamic political party.

The audience heard speeches in English and Urdu, saw video presentations and participated in an open and lively question and answer session.

Sajjad Khan, a political analyst with Hizb ut-Tahrir explained America’s hostile ‘Af-Pak’ strategy and its dangers for the region. He showed the threat to Pakistan from the combined pressures of American drone attacks within Pakistani territory, the Kerry-Lugar bill, US designs on Pakistan nuclear programme and the presence of US security firms such as Dynacorp and Blackwater-Xe (who are widely believed to be adding adding to the city centre bombing now all too familiar in Pakistan). He showed how the Zardari regime was complicit in this, by allowing the US to use bases within Pakistan, providing them with fuel and essential supply lines, agreeing to support the Kerry-Lugar conditions for aid, and allowing the spread of activities by the sinister US security firms. He showed how terror and bombings had only come to Pakistan after 2001, when America achieved a foothold in the region, and argued that sending 30000 troops into South Waziristan would exacerbate growing divisions within Pakistan.

Qasim Ali, from the Pakistan committee of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain addressed the audience with policies that Hizb ut-Tahrir has proposed for some of the complex problems Pakistan faces. He stressed how the policies were all based on sound Islamic principles – the most central of which is a fear of Allah (swt), and not a fear of America. He showed how current politicians like Zardari and Musharraf, who feared America’s bullying, had brought harm to Pakistan and Muslims through their weakness and that what was needed was a strong independent minded approach based on Islam. He showed how the first and most central need facing Pakistan was to remove the American foothold in the region, but that this could be achieved most rapidly by denying America its supply lines through Pakistan, which is its lifeline. He said an Islamic Khilafat would expel organisations like Blackwater-Xe and Dynacorp to stop their destructive work, and try to bring reconciliation with all factions within Pakistani society. He argued that a sincere Islamic leader could achieve this where corrupt leaders could not. He said that Pakistan’s nuclear assets, which America and India wanted to neutralise, were a vital deterrent to hostile threats. He reminded the audience that other ways – whether by supporting democrats or dictators – or the unacceptable bombings that occurs in cities killing civilians, were all un-Islamic and destructive for the country.

Mushtaq Raja, a Pakistani community leader in London said he supported the work and aims of Hizb ut-Tahrir, whom he had seen speaking out in a peaceful, but firm and consistent way against the American plans for the Muslim world and the corrupt illegitimate regimes which had enslaved Muslims. He urged others to likewise support the Hizb.

Finally, Dr Abdul Wahid, chairman of the executive committee of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, called upon the Muslims there to join the growing global movement for Khilafah. He said Hizb ut-Tahrir in Pakistan had been leading the opposition to the American plans which all politicians were supporting. He highlighted the manifesto produced in Urdu and English by Hizb ut-Tahrir in Pakistan, which presented policies and solutions to peoples’ problems based on Islam. He said that a movement that spread ideas was unstoppable, as ideas would spread, eventually to the ears of those people who had the real ability to make change. He drew attention to Hizb ut-Tahrir’s campaign within the Pakistani community here, and pledged it would continue.

Men and women in the audience spoke in Urdu and English praising the efforts of the organisers and pledged to support their work for the Khilafat for Pakistan, and had detailed and searching questions answered by the panel. The meeting closed with a dua.

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