TIMERGARA: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl on Tuesday announced it would hold an all-party conference in Peshawar on Sept 6 (Saturday) against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek sit-ins outside Parliament House.

JUI-F provincial chief Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan told reporters at the Chakdara Press Club that the PTI and PAT sit-ins were meant to harm democracy.

He said the country couldn’t stand impacts of undemocratic and unconstitutional steps.

The JUI-F leader said a committee comprising Haji Ghulam Ali, Maulana Attaur Rehman, Maulana Attaul Haq Darwaish and Maulana Ashraf Ali would visit heads of political parties and invite them to the Sept 6 conference.

Says conference to develop strategy on turmoil

He said he had contacted Pir Sabir Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Ameer Haider Hoti of the Awami National Party, Fayyaz Khan of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Pakistan and Allama Ramazan Tauqir of the Tehreek-i-Islami.

Gul Naseeb said all provincial chiefs of political parties except that of the PTI would be invited to the event to develop a consensus on the ongoing political turmoil and develop the strategy to address it.

“Ours is the biggest opposition party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We feel it’s our responsibility to unite all political and democratic parties against the unconstitutional and undemocratic struggle of the PTI and the PAT for power,” he said.

The JUI-F leader said 10,000 to 12,000 people participating in the PAT and PTI sit-ins had long been violating all moral, legal and constitutional norms.

He said like other democratic forces, his party would put up a strong resistance of unconstitutional happenings.

“All political and democratic parties stand united to protect democratic institutions,” he said.

Gul Naseeb asked the PTI and PAT chiefs to stop violating the law and the Constitution.

He said the JUI-F could bring 10 times more people than the PAT-PTI participants to Peshawar streets to cripple the provincial government but wouldn’t do so.

The JUI-F leader criticised Imran Khan of repeatedly changing his statements and decisions and said no one trusted the PTI chief.

PROMOTIONS DEMANDED: Senior teachers of government schools in Lower Dir on Tuesday demanded early promotion.

The demand was made during a meeting in Chakdara with Qayyum Khan in the chair.

The speakers, including Qayyum Khan, Syedul Ibrar, Hassan Zeb and others, said the government had approved promotion of senior teachers under the departmental promotion policy in February but the education department had yet to act accordingly.

They said they would move the court against the proposed promotion of the physical education teachers to the director (physical education) posts.

The speakers also demanded halt to promotion of physical education teachers to the director (physical education) posts until the procedure of promotion to SST posts was made.

They announced the holding of a meeting of eligible and qualified teachers from all districts of Malakand division at the Government Centennial Model High School, Timergara on Sept 4 to finalise future course of action.

The speakers asked teachers to attend the meeting in large numbers.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2014