Jirga wants hassle-free protest sit-in for peace in Bannu

BANNU: The elders of Qaumi Jirga on Saturday said that the district administration and the police would be held responsible for any untoward incidents if they blocked roads to local people coming for the peaceful protest to be staged on Monday.

“The Qaumi Jirga of Bannu tribes would hold the district administration and police accountable for any attempt to block roads or cause disruption for the people attending the peaceful protest.

The people will participate in the protest carrying white flags as a symbol of peace,” the announcement was made public by the elders at the Bannu Press Club.

Tribal elders, traders’ associations, and political and social leaders, Member National Assembly Naseem Ali Shah, Malik Rahat Khan, Dr Pir Sahib Zaman, Malik Zafar Hayat, Ghulam Qaibaz Khan, Abdul Samad Khan, Dr Abdul Rauf Qureshi, Yasin Khan, Naz Ali Wazir, Saleem Rehman, Chairman Tehsil Council Malik Israr Wazir, Malik Sheroz Khan, Malik Nazir Mamash Khel, Qari Gul Azeem, Malik Moeez Khan, Hikmatyar Khan, Maulana Tayyab Shah Bukhari, Mufti Abdul Ghani advocate, and others attended the meeting and announced their full support to the proposed protest sit-in.

Mian Mahfooz Rahman and Ghulam Qaibaz Khan while briefing reporters said that the peace protest would go ahead as planned on Monday.

They said that they were demanding restoration of lasting peace, an end to targeted killings, the recovery of missing persons, the disbanding of armed groups, the release of former police officer under 3 Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), and the release of Mameezullah, also known as Jihad Yar, as well as the reinstatement of dismissed police officers.

They also expressed concern that citizens raising their voices for peace were being placed under 3 MPO and Schedule 4, which they categorically rejected.

They said that people were aware of the hired assassins and the government and police must now take decisive action against them.

The participants accused the provincial government and civil bureaucracy of facilitating forces that were disrupting peace and said that their patience had run out.

The elders said the government would be forced to take serious steps for restoration of lasting peace.

They also appealed to the people of Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan to join their movement for peace.