Thousands attend anti-US rally organised by Islamist party
(25 Mar 2012) 1. Wide top shot of crowds attending Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) rally, chanting: (Urdu) "Long live the Mufti" to welcome their leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, black and white JUI flags 2. Mid of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) (meaning Assembly of Islamic Clergy), waving at supporters (centre, wearing tan waistcoat over white robe, and orange patterned turban) 3. Mid of people chanting slogans, UPSOUND: (Urdu) "Long live Islam" and "Who will save Pakistan? Maulana Fazlur Rehman" 4. Security personnel standing by 5. SOUNDBITE: (Urdu) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI): "Both Afghanistan internally and the USA, who imposed war inside Afghanistan, have now changed their stance, saying that the Taliban are no longer terrorists and that they want dialogue with them. Negotiations for settlement have already been initiated in Qatar. The National Security Committee in their suggestions have already proposed that the issue can not be resolved by using force, and yet still containers carrying arms are going to Afghanistan through Pakistan which shows double standards in policy." 6. Participants sitting and standing on stage listening to speech 7. SOUNDBITE: (Urdu) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI): "If the government tried to restore the supply line to NATO forces, it would sabotage the peace process in Afghanistan through which political settlement is already underway. The Pakistani nation would themselves stop the US and NATO containers and other supply lines by resisting the move." 8. Men listening to speech 9. Over the shoulder shot of Rehman delivering speech to crowd 10. Wide pan of crowd at rally STORYLINE: Thousands of people gathered in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Sunday for a rally organised by political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), or Assembly of Islamic Clergy in Urdu, calling for the imposition of Sharia law in the country. Huge crowds were addressed by the JUI president, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who accused the government of Afghanistan and the US of double standards by initiating dialogue with the Taliban. Rehman also threatened to resist any moves by the Pakistan government to allow NATO to resume shipping supplies through the country to its troops in neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistan closed its Afghan border crossings to NATO in November in retaliation for American airstrikes that accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan's parliament is scheduled to begin debate on Monday on a revised relationship with the US that could lead to the border being reopened. The US is eager to get the supplies moving again because it has had to spend much more money shipping goods by an alternative route that runs through Central Asia. The supply line through Pakistan will also be key to trucking out equipment as the US seeks to withdraw most of its combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
