JI stages sit-in outside KP Assembly to demand rights to merged districts

PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Wednesday staged a sit-in outside the provincial assembly to press the government to give their due rights to the people of the merged areas and provide justice to the victims of the Janikhel tribe in Bannu.

Attended by a large number of the tribesmen, who had started their protest march from Bajaur tribal district, the sit-in was addressed by provincial chief of the party Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, vice-president Inayatullah Khan, general secretary Abdul Wasi and party leaders from the tribal districts.

Mushtaq Ahmad Khan announced full support to the protesters of Janikhel tribe. “If they launch a protest march towards Islamabad, we would fully support them,” he declared. He lamented the apathy of the government towards the miseries of the Janikhel and other tribespeople of the newly merged districts.

He said that the government had failed to fulfill any of the promises made with the people of the tribal districts before their merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that the JI would keep fighting for the rights of the tribal people and would render every sacrifice for the purpose. “We would launch a protest march towards PM House in Islamabad. We would besiege the Chief Minister’s House and the Governor’s House in Peshawar. We would make every effort to ensure provision of all their genuine rights to the people of the tribal areas,” he said.

The JI leader said that the government had announced a Rs100 billion relief and uplift package and three percent share in the National Finance Commission Award for the people of the merged districts but none of these promises could be materialised.

He said that the government has also failed to ensure peace in the tribal districts.

“If the government and the security forces are true in their claim to have established peace in the tribal areas, then why the people of Bakakhel, Mehsud, Akakhel and other tribes of North Waziristan, Khyber and other tribal districts are compelled to live a homeless life in their own homeland,” he questioned.

He said that the government should talk sense and provide due rights to the people of the merged districts.