PESHAWAR: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Friday held rallies and demonstrations in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to record its protest over the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s sit-ins in Islamabad, saying that the country could not afford attempts to topple an elected government.

In Peshawar, the JUI-F activists took out a protest procession at Namak Mandi against the PTI and PAT for what they said spreading vulgarity during their sit-ins in Islamabad.

The JUI- workers, who came out in procession from a local mosque after Friday prayer, marched on Namak Mandi Road. The rally was led by JUI-F provincial chief Maulana Gul Naseeb and general secretary Maulana Shujaul Mulk.

Speaking on the occasion, they said that both the parties were spreading vulgarity in Islamabad in the garb of marches because girls and boys were openly dancing which was against the culture, religion and customs of the country.

“The protesting parties are promoting obscenity in the country which had been created in the name of Islam,” said Mr Naseeb. He said that his party would fully support the government in case of any threat to democracy.

Holds rallies against anti-govt sit-ins in Islamabad

He alleged that the PTI and PAT leaders were following the policies of Zionists. He said that PTI chairman Imran Khan was using derogatory language against the national level leaders.

The activists of PTI also staged a sit-in outside Peshawar Press Club and shouted slogans against the Nawaz Sharif government. The PTI workers, led by Insaf Youth Organisation leaders, Sajjad Fayyaz, Waheed Lala and Noor Mohammad, shouted slogans, demanding removal of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Talking to mediapersons, the protesters said that PTI had raised very genuine demands and its leadership was ready to continue the sit-in till solution of the issues. They said that PTI had been protesting against rigging in the last general elections for over one year now, but the government always ignored its demands for vote recount.

In Mardan, JUI-F staged a protest demonstration on Friday against the ongoing sits-ins of PTI and PAT and in support of the Nawaz Sharif government.

The protesters, led by Maulana Ataur Rahman, marched on the roads and staged a demonstration outside Mardan Press Club. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the PAT and PTI leadership would never succeed in their designs to fulfill their unconstitutional demands. He said that JUI-F would resist if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was forced to step down.

He claimed that opposition parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had submitted a vote of no-confidence against Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and soon they would form a new government.

Other JUI-F leaders threatened to hold big demonstrations if the incumbent democratic government was overthrown unconstitutionally.

In Timergara, JUI-F warned to besiege the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister’s house if the PTI did not end its sit-in in Islamabad. The warning came during a protest rally organised by the party’s Adenzai chapter at Chakdara.

Party workers took part in the rally which was addressed by Lower Dir JUI-F deputy amir Maulana Habibul Nabi and others.

The speakers alleged that Imran Khan wanted to westernise the society by holding joint rallies of girls and boys. They claimed that even secular political parties like PPP and ANP had never indulged in such activities.

They said that the PTI should protest against the Election Commission of Pakistan instead of Nawaz Sharif who was not in power during elections.

In Abbottabad, leaders of different political parties on Friday expressed displeasure over the Inqilab March and Azadi March, saying that PAT and PTI were setting a bad precedent.

They were speaking during a conference convened by a political leader of Hazara division, Waseem Khan Jadoon.

The participants included leaders of PPP, JI, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, ANP, JUI-F, JUI-S, Qaumi Watan Party, PML-N minorities wing, lawyers, and former provincial legislators Ali Afzal Jadoon, Ayub Afridi and Shamoon Yar.

They criticised the protest sit-ins in Islamabad and said that a group could not be considered the voice of the entire country. They demanded of the PTI and PAT to solve the issues in the National Assembly and Senate.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2014