KOHAT: Shia community leaders on Monday threatened to launch agitation if the provincial government failed to protect them against growing terrorist attacks.

The leaders, including Allama Baqir, former district Khateeb of Hangu, Allama Khursheed Jawadi, Syed Hashim Raza and Mian Shah Raza, were speaking at the Qul of Sher Mohammad Turi, and 13 victims of the Sunday’s bomb blast. The participants also condemned the killing of three schoolteachers in Hangu and demanded early arrest of the killers.

They claimed that India and the US were conspiring to destabilise Pakistan.

They said that three days had passed since the killing of Mr Turi, but the murderers nominated in the FIR had yet to be arrested. The meeting offered Fateha for the victims of terrorist attacks.

MEETING POSTPONED: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F postponed its proposed public meeting scheduled to be held in company Bagh here on Monday to express solidarity with the Shia community.

This was announced by the JUI Kohat amir Maulana Abdur Raheem while speaking at a press conference here. He said that the conference had been postponed after the Sunday’s bomb blast which claimed several innocent lives and incidents of and targeted killing of Shia community members in Kohat and Hangu.

Mr Raheem said that the purpose of conference was to condemn the government for its failure to protect the life and property of people, terrorism, targeted killings, price hike, nepotism, kidnappings for ransom, extortion, loadshedding and corruption.

He assailed the previous ANP-led provincial government for ‘befooling’ the people by changing the name of the province. He also accused the PTI-led government of only launching cleanliness drives, and making no effort to provide people even basic necessities of life.

The JUI leader regretted that health facilities in the province had been handed over to the foreign-funded nongovernmental organisations which didn’t provide necessary medicines and treatment to people in emergencies.

Jamil Paracha, Maulana Sanaullah, Maulana Mujeeb ur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Hayee and Maulana Zai ul Abideen were also present on the occasion.

ROAD REOPENED: The local administration on Monday reopened Kohat-Hangu road for traffic. The road was closed after bomb blast on Sunday which claimed lives of 13 people.

The government also deployed more security personnel on the highway and strict checking was being conducted of the tribesmen coming to Kohat from Orakzai Agency, Parachinar and Hangu.

Intelligence officials said suicide bombers and IED experts were sneaking into Kohat from Orakzai Agency and Hangu and were carrying out targeted killings.

Due to closure of the road, people had to use alternative Sumari road between Kohat and Hangu, facing hardships.