JI launches protest movement for merged districts’ rights

PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Saturday announced to launch a protest movement for the rights of the people of merged districts.

Speaking at a news conference here, JI provincial president Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that his party would convene an all parties conference besides holding protest demonstrations across the country. He added that the protest demonstrations would be arranged outside Governor’s House and Chief Minister’s House after Eidul Azha.

Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf deceived the people of the merged districts.

He said in June 2018 the merged district came into existence through 25th constitutional amendment. He added that the federal government after the merger announced Rs1000 billion packaged for 10 years for the merged district under which Rs100 billion was to be released every year for development projects. Under the package 3 percent of the National Finance Commission award, 40,000 jobs, exemption from taxes until 2023, extension of police and judicial system to merged districts and repatriation of the temporarily displaced people was to be ensured, he added.

He said that complete end to loadshedding and availability of 3G and 4G service in the tribal areas were part of the package. “But unfortunately none of the promised facilities could be given to the people of these areas by the PTI government,” he lamented. He said that the border trade has also been adversely affected due to the flawed policies of the PTI government. He alleged that extortion was being collected from every truck, which crossed the border due to which the number of trucks had come down to 120 from 12,000.

He urged the PTI the government to provide the promised facilities to the tribal districts. He said that the JI would not rest until the provision of all facilities to the residents of the merged districts and continue protest inside and outside the parliament till acceptance of their due demands.