LAKKI MARWAT: Jamiat Ulemai-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that unrest and lawlessness have engulfed the southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including tribal districts.

Addressing a public meeting at Gandi Chowk along Indus Highway near Serai Naurang here on Sunday, he said that lawlessness forced people to point fingers at the federal government and its security and law enforcement institutions.

Thousands of people from southern districts participated in the public meeting. Local leaders and activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and other political parties also attended the gathering on special invitation.

“Rulers, establishment, security forces, bureaucracy and armed groups should keep it in mind that people are not satisfied with their actions,” said Mr Rehman. He added that tribal people and residents of southern districts felt insecure in the country.

JUI-F chief asks establishment to end ‘drama of terrorism’

“I want to convey a clear message to establishment to end drama of terrorism. We supported it and army and in return they gave us unrest and lawlessness,” he maintained. Referring to his visit to Afghanistan before general elections, he said that he discussed various issues with leaders of Afghan Taliban and his visit was successful. “Who turned our success into failure,” he questioned.

The JUI-F chief said that America was the creator of terrorism. “The United States did not want to eliminate the menace from this region for its own vested interests,” he alleged. He said that his party and other political forces would not allow anyone to plunder their natural resources.

He said that southern region was rich in resources and conspiracies were under way to deprive locals of those treasures. He said that results of the Feb 8 elections were manipulated and changed to install a handpicked government.

Mr Rehman condemned raids on religious seminaries and said that such acts were being taken to appease America. “Seminaries are forts of Islam and uluma will defend them,” he added.

Former provincial minister Sher Azam Wazir said on the occasion that the people of Bannu exhibited an unprecedented power show for their desire for peace by organising a massive rally marred by violence last month.

“The people of the entire southern region will have to forge unity to achieve the goal of lasting peace,” he said. He said that JUI-F was against military operation as such actions carried out in past added to troubles of people.

JUI-F central general secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri said that people wanted peace and it was the primary responsibility of government and its institutions to restore peace in the area.

“State institutions and law enforcement agencies will face public outcry and reaction if there will be no peace,” he said.

Former federal minister Mufti Asad Mehmood said that unrest and lawlessness was not confined to the southern region and adjacent tribal districts or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan rather it was the problem faced by ever Pakistani citizen.

Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman, former MPA Qari Gul Azeem, Maulana Attaul Haq Darvaish, Maulana Ashraf Ali, Maulana Ahmad Ali, Maulana Asghar Ali and other party leaders also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2024