PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-S) has announced schedule for holding rallies and public meetings across Fata to push for the merger of the tribal region with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The announcement was made by party’s provincial emir Maulana Mohammad Yousaf Shah while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.

He announced that the campaign would kick off with a rally in Wana area of South Waziristan Agency on Nov 5. He said a rally would be held in Miramshah, North Waziristan on Nov 6, while public meetings would also be arranged in Sadda, Kurram Agency on Nov 11 and Jamrud Khyber Agency on Nov 12.

He said Fata-KP merger would ensure provision of due rights to people of the region. “The party will intensify campaign for rights of tribesmen across Fata,” he maintained.

Talking about the revival of defunct Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal (MMA), he expressed optimism about the efforts to revive the religious parties alliance, but said it would take time due to various reasons.

On the occasion, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader from Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Agency, Maulana Ateeq, along with friends joined the JUI-S.

Mr Shah said efforts had been initiated to revive the MMA on solid footing to win the future elections. But, he said some religious groups had shown reservations regarding the MMA’s revival.

In this regard, he added an initial meeting was held to address all those concerns which were blocking revival of the alliance.

The JUI-S leader suggested that the MMA needed to be reactivated on the basis of ground realities and sincerity in the best interests of the nation, otherwise the attempt would not be sustainable like the past.

Maulana Shah claimed his party had always tried to bring together all the religious parties on a single platform to work jointly for common objectives. He said the MMA was disintegrated as it strayed from its objectives.

He said his party would strictly work for achieving the prime objectives instead of giving preference to personal interests.

The JUI-S leader opposed the proposal of registration of religious seminaries through a board, saying no interference in the affairs of madaressahs and their curriculum would be tolerated. He asked the federal and provincial governments to take Wafaq-ul-Madaris and seminaries on board before taking any such decision.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2017