NOWSHERA, May 20: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami on Monday agreed to make joint efforts for restoration of peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The agreement came during a meeting between PTI and JUI-S leaders at Darul Uloom-i-Haqqania in Akora Khattak here.

In the meeting, PTI was represented by nominee for the chief minister’s office Pervez Khattak, nominee for the provincial assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and MPAs-elect Shaukat Yousafzai, Mian Jamsheduddin and Idrees Khattak and JUI-S by party chief and Muttahida Deeni Mahaz president Maulana Samiul Haq, provincial ameer Yousaf Shah and others.

The participants agreed that the two parties would play an active role for restoration of peace in the militancy-hit province. Mr Khattak also had a one-on-one meeting with Mr Haq. He later told reporters that Mr Haq should play his due role in bringing peace in the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The nominee for the chief minister’s office said the positive role of Darul Uloom-i-Haqqania for peace in the country could not be ignored.

“Now, the people are again expecting a crucial role from it for restoration of normalcy in the country,” he said.

Mr Khattak said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faced numerous issues, including closed industries, shortage of electricity and bad governance, and PTI and its coalition partners were committed to resolving them all on priority basis.

Mr Haq appreciated the agenda of Imran Khan and said JUI-S accepted PTI mandate given by the people in the May 11 elections and would fully support it in the best interest of the country.

He advised Imran Khan and MQM leader Altaf Hussain to refrain from issuing statements, which might destabilise the country. “All stakeholders will have to play a positive role for bringing peace to the country,” he said.

The JUI-S chief said after the elections, it was the responsibility of elected representatives, especially those of PTI, to live up to the people’s expectations.

He said he knew that the upcoming PTI government in the province would face great challenges but he was pleased that Imran Khan would begin implementing his countrywide agenda of good governance and public welfare from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mr Haq said terrorism would automatically end if the provincial and federal governments addressed its root causes and made a foreign policy in line with national interests and free from foreign influence.

“Foreign forces are struggling to implement their agenda through new agents but PTI and PML should keep vigilant eyes on them,” he said.