April 7, 2006	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 8, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, April 6: Religious leaders of Ahl-i-Sunnat wal Jamaat on Thursday demanded resignation from Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, federal minister and chief executive of the Northern Areas (NAs), for what they called his role in fanning sectarian conflicts in the region.

During a press conference they expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the NAs and held the minister responsible for it.

They accused that instead of taking steps to solve problems, the minister has been igniting sectarian issues — supporting one sect to give it dominancy; as a result, supporters of the Jamaat felt threatened, they said and demanded for protection.

Maulana Zahoor Ahmad Alvi, Maulana Nazir Farooqi from Rawalpindi-Islamabad and Maulana Sanaullah Ghalib and Qazi Abdur Rashid from the Northern Areas were present in the press conference.

During a crackdown, dozens of Jamaat supporters were arrested without any reason, they alleged and demanded their immediate release.

The situation in the NAs was worsening to an alarming level. It is time for the government to take action and maintain peace and harmony in the region, they pointed out.