KOHAT, April 20: Hundreds of activists of tshe Khattak Ittehad held a protest rally near the Gurguri oil and gas fields on Thursday and gave the government 10 days for acceptance of their demands.

They postponed their plan to stop work on the oil and gas fields, operated by the MOL of Hungary, after the company’s administration said it needed more time to discuss their demands with the government and reassured them to find an early and amicable solution of the issue.

The protestors held negotiations with MNA Shah Abdul Aziz, DCO MPA Mian Nisar, district nazim Rehmat Salam Khattak and DPO. The area had been cordoned off by a heavy contingent of police to meet any untoward incident.

The protesters dispersed peacefully after they were assured that their demands would be met. The administration and protesters agreed to resume talks with the government about their demand of supply of gas to Karak district and provision of jobs to local people.

The Khttak Ittehad formed in mid-2004 had been demanding supply of gas, royalty to the area and jobs for local people. It attacked the gas fields in Guguri in October 2004, suspending work on the facility for a fortnight.—Correspondent