LAKKI MARWAT: Thousands of people gathered at the Paretee Gate in Bannu district on Monday to record their protest against lawlessness and raise a strong voice for peace.

Call for the peace rally was given by Bannu Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Anjuman-i-Tajiran.

The traders lowered their shutters and public transport remained thin on the roads.

People from across the district reached the venue of the gathering in rallies, and within a short span they got spread over a vast area from Paretee Gate to Qasaban Gate, Lakki Gate and Bannu-Miranshah Road.

Women relatives of missing persons also participated.

MNA Maulana Syed Naseem Ali Shah, Jamat-i-Islami provincial chief Mohammad Ibrahim, former provincial minister Malik Shah Mohammad Khan, Pir Sahib Zaman, Malik Hikmayar Khan, chamber president Shah Wazir Khan, vice-president Nasir Khan Bangash, general secretary Ghulam Qebaz Khan, Anjuman-i-Tajiran president Abdul Rauf Qureshi, Malik Adnan Khan, Kakki tehsil council chairman Junaid Rashid Khan, PML-N district president Malik Raza Khan and others spoke on the occasion.

They said that the provincial government had failed to implement the 16-point demands approved by the Apex Committee on the request of a 40-member jirga held here in July.

They claimed that serious efforts were not made to restore peace and initiate action against armed groups. They said that local residents did not see any improvement in the law and order situation even three months after they had camped at the Maulana Abdul Sattar Shah Chowk for demanding peace.

The elders said that armed groups patrolled roads and several elders and activists, including a former police official, had been arrested for their active role in peace gatherings.

They also claimed that the government had also placed the names of some elders on the Fourth Schedule under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

They said that over a dozen policemen had been removed from service in Bannu for they had raised voice for their own and their colleagues’ safety.

The elders asked the government to implement the 16-point demands of the apex body and restore peace in the district.

They also announced to stage a sit-in at the Maulana Abdul Sattar Shah Chowk on a daily basis from Tuesday (today) till their demands were met.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2024