BAJAUR: The eight-day-long sit-in staged by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s local chapter ended here on Saturday after the district administration inked an agreement with the organisers to make concerted efforts to curb attacks on political activists in Bajaur.
“I would like to inform the residents of Bajaur that we have temporarily suspended our sit-in after the district administration and police officials assured in written that immediate steps would be taken within 20 days to improve law and order in the district,” said Maulana Abdur Rasheed, the party’s local chapter chief, while talking to reporters.
Accompanied by members of the negotiating committee comprising representatives of political, religious parties, business community and civil society, the JUI-F leader claimed deputy commissioner Fahad Wazir and district police officer Abdul Samad Khan had termed their demands valid.
Maulana Rasheed said the meeting was held at the deputy commissioner’s office. He said the protesters’ main demand was improving the law and order situation in the district, which had deteriorated in the recent past.
The JUI-F district chief said the meeting was also attended by provincial minister for social welfare and women empowerment Anwarzeb Khan as the provincial government’s representative.
He said a meeting of the district administration and police officials with the committee would be held after 20 days to take stock of the progress made on the protesters’ demands.
Maulana Rasheed said durable peace was vital for socioeconomic development of the district. He threatened that the protest sit-in would resume if the authorities failed to resolve their demands within the stipulated time.
The sit-in was launched on August 19 following a bomb attack on the vehicle of JUI-F leader and Khat tehsil council chairman Haji Said Badshah in Chinar area of Salarzai on August 15, in which Mr Badshah along with two colleagues was injured.
On Friday evening, federal minister for religious affairs Maufti Abdul Shakoor, PM’s adviser Ameer Muqam and provincial minister Anwarzeb Khan had visited the protesters, assuring them of government’s resolve to improve law and order situation in the district.
Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2022
