BANNU: The people belonging to all walks of life on Saturday started staging a protest sit-in at the Bannu Police Lines Chowk and demanded the government to take steps for tackling the worsening law and order.
The people belonging to the rural areas of the district have also started arriving in Bannu city to attend the protest. The organizers of the protest sit-in have pitched tents at the Police Lines Chowk in Bannu city. Holding white flags and placards, the participants of the sit-in chanted slogans demanding the restoration of peace.
The organizers of the peace march and members of the civil society while addressing the participants of the sit-in said that armed men had established officers at Utmanzai and Ahmadzai areas adjoining Bannu city. They demanded the government to take action against the armed groups and establish peace.
The members of the Bannu Chamber of Commerce and Industry also attended the protest sit-in.
Former provincial minister Syed Hamid Shah, Bannu Qaumi Mahaz chief Pir Syed Qaiser Abbas Shah, former provincial minister Malik Shah Mohammad, District Bar Association President Shah Qiaz Bacha, general secretary Shoaib Khan Sadozai, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Malik Haroon Khan, National Democratic Movement provincial General Secretary Nadeem Askar and others addressed the protesters.
Speaking on the occasion, they said that it was the responsibility of the government to restore peace. Lawlessness, they said, had affected the life and business of the local people, adding that the people had rendered sacrifices for the restoration of peace.
The armed group, they said, were patrolling Bannu city and its suburbs at night, which had created panic among the local people.
The police did not dare leave the police stations after sunset, they said, adding that the government writ had lost as the militants were calling the shots. The elders also demanded the restoration of the policemen, who were suspended after raids on the offices of the armed groups in Bannu.