Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], August 26 (ANI): Braving rains, the people of Bajaur district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province continued their protest on the seventh consecutive day here on Thursday against the deteriorating law and order situation, local media reported. The protestors, demanding the restoration of peace and security in the region, pledged that they would not end their sit-in without getting strong assurance from the authorities to accept their demands, Dawn reported.
People from all walks of life, mostly political and social activists, attended the sit-in organized by the district chapter of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam.
Besides locals, a delegation of Khyber tribal district, led by former Member of National Assembly (MNA) Haji Shahji Gul Afridi, also attended the sit-in. Speaking on the occasion, Afridi said, “Such peaceful demonstrations were necessary to draw the attention of the authorities towards the law and order situation in all the tribal districts.” He said that law and order were badly disturbed during the last few months in tribal districts, Dawn reported.
The former MNA lauded the leaders of political and religious parties and social activists for showing unity to raise the issue of law and order by arranging the sit-in. Afridi termed the demands of the protesters valid and asked both the federal and provincial governments to initiate concrete steps to resolve the issues raised by the participants of the sit-in.
He also announced PKR 100,000 for the sit-in as financial support, Dawn reported. On Thursday, a number of political and religious leaders including former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Eng Shaukatullah Khan, former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Syed Akhunzada Chattan, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) district chief Maulana Abdur Rasheed, Bajaur Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Haji Lali Shah and Awami National Party (ANP) leader Maulana Khan Zeb addressed the sit-in.
JUI-F district chief Maulana Abdur Rasheed, while talking to reporters, said that leadership of political and religious parties and elders decided to continue the demonstration until the authorities promised resolution of their issues.
The other speakers also flayed the federal and provincial governments for not taking the sit-in seriously and reiterated that the demonstration would continue until their demands were addressed. (ANI)
