BAJAUR: Hundreds of people took to the streets here on Sunday against the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, and termed the bombardment as genocide of Palestinian people.

Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s local chapters organised the rallies in Khar Bazaar and Mamond tehsil.

The JI rally held in the Khar Bazaar was attended by a large number of people, including party workers, as the participants held banners and placards inscribed with anti-Israel slogans.

The participants also shouted slogans against Israel and in support of Hamas and Gaza citizens.

JI district emir Sahibzada Haroon Rasheed, and other leaders, including Haji Sardar Khan, Maulana Waheed Gul, Sufi Mohammad, Sahibur Rehman and Farman Khan spoke on the occasion.

The protesters kept the road blocked about one and half hours.

The speakers said the ongoing airstrikes on Gaza and complete siege of the area by the Israeli government were inhuman and barbaric. They said the bombardment of Gaza and killing of hundreds of civilians had proved Israel was the ‘biggest terrorist country’ in the world.

They flayed the international community in general and the Muslim world in particular for not taking any steps to prevent the Israeli aggression in Gaza.

They asked the Muslim countries to realise the critical situation of the people of Gaza and play role to stop Israel from executing its planned ground operation in Gaza.

Meanwhile, a protest rally organised by PTI was held in Mamond tehsil.

Nawagai tehsil council chairman Dr Khaliur Rehman, Habib Khan, Imran and others spoke and strongly condemned the Israel aggression. They asked the Muslim countries to suspend relations with Israel.

ROAD PROJECT: Residents of Dag Qala area of Khar tehsil have agreed to give their land for construction of a road project after the district administration assured them to make payments within a month.

The Dag Qala residents had been demanding payments for the land acquired for construction of Khar bypass road before the launch of the project, according to a statement issued from the deputy commissioner’s office here on Sunday.

The statement said the residents, who had earlier created hurdles in launch of work on road, agreed to withdraw resistance following a meeting between their representatives and assistant commissioner, Khar, Mohibullah Khan Yousafazai on Saturday.

Mr Yousafzai assured the landowners that payments would be made to them within a month after completing measurement of land.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2023