Bannu Amn Pasoon launches move for recovery of teacher

BANNU: The local activists of the Amn Pasoon on Sunday announced they were launching a strong protest movement to demand the recovery of an abducted schoolteacher from today (Monday).

Addressing a press conference at the Bannu Press Club, Shaukat Ayaz advocate said that neither names of the Amn Pasoon or Peace Movement leaders had been removed from the Fourth Schedule nor the 16 dismissed police personnel reinstated.

Several prominent figures, including Mian Mahfoozur Rehman, Malik Raza Khan, Mureed Hayat advocate, Malik Sher Ali Baz Khan, Idrees Khan and Malik Saleemur Rehman were also present.

He said that despite several meetings with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, Corps Commander Peshawar and other officials, the points agreed upon in the apex committee regarding Bannu had not been implemented.

He said that during the last meeting between the chief minister and Amn Pasoon leaders, traders’ leader Nasir Bagash was treated like an accused. He also criticized the chief secretary and provincial minister for failing to inform the Bannu community about the responsibilities delegated to them by the chief minister.

Shaukat Ayaz said a historic Amn Pasoon took place on July 19, during which the provincial government promised that no legal action would be taken against the elders leading the movement.

However, contrary to that promise, he said those elders had been disrespected and falsely implicated in cases related to terrorism, put their names in the Fourth Schedule, and other serious charges, forcing them into lengthy legal battles.

He added that on April 7, during a jirga at the Chief Minister’s House, CM Ali Amin Gandapur had instructed that traders included in the Fourth Schedule submit affidavits to the district administration so they could be cleared.

Although the affidavits were submitted, no action had been taken so far.He also talked about the reinstatement of 16 dismissed police personnel, which was part of the agreement, but that did not happen.In response to the abduction of schoolteacher Farman Ali Shah from Nurar, the people of Bannu would come out in droves and gather at the Bannu Press Club to demand his recovery.