PESHAWAR, Nov 25: Jamaat-i-Islami, FATA chapter, naib-amir Zar Noor Afridi on Saturday demanded that the government should release former MNA Haroon Rashid who was arrested by the political authorities in Darra Adam Khel on Friday.
The JI MNA and six other people were arrested in Darra Adam Khel after they had participated in a demonstration against the killings in Bajaur Agency and military operations in Fata.
“Jamaat-i-Islami will continue to hold protest demonstrations in Fata against US atrocities and such acts of the federal government cannot thwart our mission,” Mr Afridi said this while addressing a press conference held at the Peshawar Press Club.
He said the Khassadar force under the orders of the political administration on Friday opened fire on Jamaat-i-Islami leaders when they were returning after holding a protest demonstration.
“The administration tried to arrest former NWFP senior minister and JI provincial chief Sirajul Haq but he succeeded to avoid arrest, however Mr Rashid was arrested on his way to Peshawar. He is being treated like a prisoner of war,” the JI leader said.
"On the one hand, America has been killing innocent tribesmen and, on the other, our federal government has barred us from entering into our own areas which is contrary to the basic human rights,” Mr Afridi added.
He said that according to the Constitution, Fata was the fifth unit of Pakistan therefore, he added, the people of tribal areas should be treated as the citizen of the country. Sense of deprivation would instigate tribesmen to become fundamentalists and terrorists, he warned.
The JI leader went on to say that it was the responsibility of the army to protect the people from American aggression.
He said that the Jamaat would hold a rally in FR Peshawar on Nov 30 and it would be followed by rallies in Khurram Agency, Orakzai Agency and South and North Waziristan agencies.
