JI, ANP workers clash in Lower Dir

TIMERGARA: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Awami National Party (ANP) leaders in constituency PK-16 Lower Dir have accused one another of perpetrating violence.

JI candidate for PK-16 and former MPA Aizazul Mulk Afkari alleged that Awami National Party (ANP) workers under patronage of ANP candidate Bahadar Khan resorted to open fire into the

air and pelted stones on JI youth rally in Munda late Friday night.

He said the JI youth were going to receive JI chief Sirajul Haq at Bab-e-Jandool near Khazana bypass road.

He said three JI workers sustained injuries as a result of stone-pelting whereas two cars and a bike participating in the rally were partially damaged.

Flanked by JI Lower Dir deputy general secretary Malik Shafiullah, secretary information Arshad Zaman, tehsil Balambat nazim Imranuddin advocate, Kaleemullah Khan and others, Aizazul Mulk alleged that the incident occurred in presence of the police.

In response to Aizazul Mulk’s press conference, ANP leader and nominee for PK-16 Bahadar Khan also addressed a news conference at Timergara Press Club and rejected Aizazul Mulk’s allegations.

“Aizazul Mulk along with his supporters attacked my house and pelted stones at the gate, besides using abusive language while the miscreants also resorted to aerial firing, after which some children in our vicinity pelted stones on them in response,” Bahadar Khan said.

He alleged that the JI workers and leaders had attacked his house at night and demanded the district administration and Election Commission to take notice of the incident and probe the matter so that strict action may be initiated against those involved.

“We are the followers of Bacha Khan and we believe in his non-violence philosophy,” Bahadar Khan said.

“We also have lodged an FIR against JI leaders and nominated JI head Sirajul Haq, Aizazul Mulk Afkari, Abdul Hamid Jan and Bakht Biland Khan in the FIR, but they are wandering freely, whereas we have applied for bail before arrest (BBA) in the court,” he added.