PESHAWAR: Activists of various civil society organisations and political parties on Wednesday held a protest demonstration against the bloodshed in Parachinar and described the twin bombings as failure of the government to protect lives of the citizens.

People belonging to different walks of life participated in the demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club which was led by Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek chairman Dr Said Alam Mehsud, Awami Workers Party provincial president Shahab Khattak, ANP’s former MNA Jamila Gilani, Sikh community representative Radish Tony and others.

They demanded judicial probe into the twin bombings in Parachinar and payment of a reasonable financial package to the families of those killed and wounded.

The participants were shouting slogans against the federal government for its failure to take effective steps for protection of the people. They condemned the bloodshed in Quetta, Parachinar, Karachi and other parts of the country and said that Pakhtuns were being targeted for no reasons.

The protesters were holding banners and placards inscribed with their demands.

Talking to media persons, they said that the federal government was least bothered to take proactive steps to provide protection to Pakhtun people.

They said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had announced a financial package for the people who died in Bahawalpur incident, but failed to announce such a package for those killed in bomb blasts in Parachinar.

Mr Khattak said that the people of Parachinar were targeted for the only reason that they had blocked entry of terrorists from Afghanistan into Pakistan. He said that the prime minister, army chief and chief justice of Pakistan should take action to protect the people.

Jamila Gilani said that state had failed to protect lives of common people. Mr Mehsud said that the people of Fata had always been targeted, but no one was there to protect their rights.

He said that it was duty of the federal government to protect the people and support them financially.

The minority community representative Radish Tony said that people of minority groups also wanted the government to take action against the perpetrators and their facilitators.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2017