JuD-backed DPC a 'bargaining chip' of Pak military: Editorial

Islamabad -  Referring to the long marches by the JuD-backed Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) to protest against the reopening of the NATO supply routes, an editorial in a Pakistani daily has  said the turnout at its rallies and the complete absence of action from the authorities against this coalition of militant groups suggests that the DPC is being kept as a bargaining chip by the  military establishment.

Even the leaders of the DPC must know that their protests alone will have little to no effect on the government's decision to reopen supply routes but they must also be aware that these  shows of strength are valuable in their own right, the editorial in The Express Tribune said.

Through sheer force of numbers, the DPC, which is made up of groups that could not muster huge crowds individually, has now made itself an entity that needs to be taken seriously, it  added.

Part of the reason that the DPC has now become such a vital force is that it is being coddled, appeased and even supported by mainstream political parties, it said. It comes as no surprise  that religious parties like the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam - Fazlur Rehman have extended their best wishes to this coalition of extremist groups, it added.

What is more disappointing is that even the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has shown a willingness to support the DPC, despite the presence of militant groups such as the Jamaat-ud-Dawa  in leadership positions, it further said.

Making demands of the U.S. is a lot easier when the military can point to the supposed popularity of this anti-American force. However, the military should also be aware that such phenomena

have the tendency to slip away from their masters as is evident with our jihadi non-state actors, it said.