January 3, 2006	Tuesday	Zilhaj 2, 1426

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LAHORE, Jan 2: The Jamaat-i-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam urged the government on Monday to govern the tribal areas under Pakistani laws besides allowing political activities there.

The JI made the demand at a meeting of it’s Shoora here. It demanded repeal of the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) applicable on the tribal areas.

“The special laws suppress the voice of poor masses who do not have any right to choose their leaders through a direct vote,” it said.

The Jamaat expressed concern at the ‘ongoing military operations’ in Balochistan and Waziristan and called for dialogue through a parliamentary committee to solve the outstanding issues.

The meeting took exception to the Indian government’s concern at the Balochistan situation and rejected it as an interference in country’s internal affairs.

It also condemned US policies which it said were aimed at establishing hegemony over the world, exploiting other nations for its vested interests, taking control of Muslim world and its resources.

“Millions of people in Afghanistan and Iraq have been killed for no crime of theirs since the US invasion.”

Law and order situation in the country also irked the Jamaat which alleged that MQM-backed ‘criminals’ were active in Sindh.

“Last year, illegal arms and masks were recovered from the car of an MQM minister but the culprits were released soon.”

It also pointed out that incidents of humiliation of teachers in educational institutions by a students association affiliated with the government had also come to light.

“The assailants were not arrested but students protesting against the attacks on the teachers were arrested and tortured.”

JUI: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam called for political activities in the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA).

Information secretary Riaz Durrani said on Monday that the rulers, who claimed to be champions of democratic values and human rights, were depriving FATA people of the same.

He recalled that most of MNAs from the tribal areas had been elected on JUI tickets in October 2002 general elections but the Election Commission had later refused to accept the fact on the direction of the government and had declared them as “independents”.

He demanded restoration of all democratic and human rights to the masses in FATA.

Meanwhile, in the party reorganization process, central election commissioner Maulana Khalid Soomro has nominated Mufti Mazhar Shah as election commissioner for Punjab as JUI members will elect their leaders for all districts in the province on Jan 23 in Lahore.