NOWSHERA: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday said the party wanted to topple the government through a peaceful struggle, which would continue until the objective was achieved.

Addressing a public meeting in Hakimabad area near Nowshera cantonment, wherethe JUI-F workers blocked the GT Road, Mr Fazl said as important arteries in DI Khan, Nowshera, Islamabad, Punjaband even those to Afghanistan had been blocked, the party could restrict movement across the country within 24 hours.

He appreciated the struggle of the party’s activists saying they’ve proved that they can ‘block entire Pakistan within 24 hours’.

“Millions of people have become part of the Azadi March, which began last month jolting the government,” he said.

The JUI-F leader said the party did not want to see Pakistan become Afghanistan, Iraq or Libya, so it would continue the peaceful anti-government struggle with the support of people.

Blockade of roads in many districts enters second day

He said the people had to support the JUI-F workers to remove the illegal government of Premier Imran Khan, which had been imposed on them.

Earlier, JUI-F leader Akram Khan Durrani addressed the protesters and said the people would hear good news of change soon.

He said defence minister Pervez Khattak, who headed the dialogue committee, feared backlash, so he didn’t inform Prime Minister Imran Khan about the JUI-F’s demands.

The JUI-F workers, who belonged to nearby Swabi, Mardan and Peshawar districts, blocked the road leading to Rawalpindi and Peshawar.

The educational institutions remained closed in the region in line with an order issued by the local administration.

Meanwhile, the JUI-F activists blocked the Karakoram Highway in Mansehra.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was slated to address a public meeting in the area but he cancelled the visit due to hectic schedule.

The JUI-F activists blocked the highway in Ghazikot area. The suspension of the main artery, which links Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Gilgit-Baltistan, led to the stranding of motorcycles in long queues for hours.

The commuters, including women and children, covered long distances on foot to reach Mansehra town.

In Batkhela area, the JUI-F workers led by former lawmaker Mufti Fazal Ghafoor continued with the sit-in in Pul Chowky Chakdara despite the intermittent rainfall.

JUI-F provincial chief Maulana Attaur Rehman and other leaders met protesters and asked them to continue with the road blockade until the party’s leadership didn’t announce Plan C of the anti-government agitation.

Mr Atta announced that party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would visit Chakdara and address workers soon.

He said all roads in districts would be blocked if Plan C was announced.

The Swat Motorway and link roads in the area were opened to traffic. However, traffic jams were witnessed.

Meanwhile, the JUI-F activists blocked the Karakoram Highway in Dandai Bisham area near Dandai bridge, while the activists from Kohistan blocked the KKH in the Khwagay Oba area along Bisham for hours.

In Bannu, the JUI-F leaders and workers blocked the Indus Highway at the Link Road Chowk for the second consecutive day. The motorists used Kamar Kalli Road and Bannu Old Road to reach their respective destinations.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2019