MINGORA, April 22: The people belonging to different walks of life have shown mixed reaction over the seven-year jail term handed down to the amir of the defunct Tahrik Nefaz-i-Shariah Muhammadi (TNSM), Malakand division.

The majority of them say that the punishment was not announced by a competent court of law, rather it was based on a proposal of the tribal jirga (council).

Al Haj Zahid Khan, president of the All Swat Hotels Association (ASHA), in his comments said here on Sunday that the decision taken by the authorities of the Kuram Agency was unjust and meant only to appease the Zionist forces.

He said Maulana Sufi Muhammad had crossed over to Afghanistan in broad daylight and those who allowed him to cross the border should also be punished.

He said the tribal jirga had no authority to propose punishment for an accused.

He said that Sufi had not crossed a border owned by the tribesmen, but that of our country and the decision against him should have been taken in accordance with the prevailing laws in the country.

Zahid Khan said the decision would result into more harsh occurrences, as the people of the division could not tolerate such unjust decisions. He said Sufi was not a criminal and had moved to Afghanistan to take part in jihad.

To a question, Zahid said, “the TNSM had not affected the tourism in the country”. He said the government itself was not sincere in developing tourism, otherwise, it would have solved the problems being faced by the tourists here.

The councillor, Abdul Wakil Khan, general secretary of the ASHA also rejected the decision of the tribal jirga and demanded a fair and open trial of Sufi Muhammad in a court of law.

Lady councillor Naseem Akhtar hailed the court verdict.