PESHAWAR, Dec 27: Jamaat-i-Islami provincial general secretary Shabir Ahmad Khan on Thursday criticised the city district government for placing a ban on public meeting of the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) planned to be held at the Jinnah Park.

In a press release issued here, he said the government could not discourage people from participating in the public meeting and the APDM would organise the rally at the Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium on December 31.

The city district government had imposed Section 144 on public meetings at the Jinnah Park and asked political parties to organise the same at the cricket ground.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-i-Islami expressed concern over the killing of civilians in Swat district and North Waziristan Agency.

The party asked the government to halt military operation in the area.

A press release issued here said that the party Shoora met in Nowshera which condemned the ongoing military operation in the tribal area and Swat.

It said that innocent people, including women and children, were being killed in the name of operation against terrorists.

“These innocent people have no connection with the militants,” the Shoora said, adding that citizens were targeted to get financial assistance from America and other western countries.

The press release urged the government to resolve the issues through negotiations and take true representatives of the area in confidence.