NOWSHERA: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami and the Jamaat-i-Islami on Tuesday condemned raids on seminaries and the arrest of religious leaders and seminarians following the Peshawar school attack and said the raids and arrests were unjustified as custodians of all seminaries had condemned the massacre.

The condemnation came after a JI delegation visited JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq in Akora Khattak to discuss issues of bilateral interests. The visitors included former minister Hafiz Hashmat Khan, former MPA Kashif Azam, Imdad Ali and Bahrullah Khan.

JUI-S provincial chief Maulana Yousaf Shah was also present on the occasion.

The JI delegation handed over an invitation to the JUI-S chief on behalf of party chief Sirajul Haq to attend the ‘Shuhada Aman Conference’ to be held at Peshawar’s Nishtar Hall on January 1.

Samiul Haq accepted the invitation and said he appreciated the JI efforts to organise such an important event during the current critical times.

JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq later told reporters that the government should expose the ‘real perpetrators’ of the school attack. During the meeting, both the JUI-S and the JI criticised the ongoing campaign against seminaries and religious leaders. The participants insisted religious leaders and seminaries had always played a positive role for the protection and solidarity of the country.

FILLING STATION MANAGERS HELD: The district administration arrested managers of four filling stations in Nowshera for selling petrol at the price higher than the one fixed by the government. The administration warned that the filing stations found to be overcharging motorists and motorcyclists would be dealt with strictly. The arrests were made during a surprise visit to filling stations in the district on the instructions of district commissioner Zakaullah Khattak.

The assistant commissioner later told Dawn that he’d conducted the surprise visit on the complaint of transporters.

“All additional district commissioners have been directed to monitor the petrol price being charged by filling stations in their respective areas to ensure that the people get fuel at the government rate,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2014