PESHAWAR, Dec 5: The Jamaat-i-Islami has condemned military action in Wana and urged the government to stop the operation in South Waziristan Agency and release tribesmen detained during the operation.

A press release issued here on Sunday said that the demands were made at a meeting of its members from tribal areas. The party called for empowering a tribal jirga to establish peace in the tribal areas and sought an end to what they termed victimisation of tribesmen on the pretext of war against terrorism. It said that the government should stop humiliating tribal people and tender a public apology.

Foreign influence should be eliminated from the tribal areas and families of people killed during the military operations should be compensated, the government should rebuild demolished houses and announce special packages for the affected families in South Waziristan, the JI demanded.

It said that the people of tribal areas should be given basic human rights, including the right to elect their representatives. It also called for repeal of the Frontier Constabulary Regulations (FCR) and enforcement of Shariat in tribal areas.

Unlimited powers of political agents should be reduced and they should be made accountable before the judiciary, the JI said. It also called for giving tribesmen the right to appeal in the Supreme Court, the Federal Shariat Court and the Peshawar High Court against political agents' decisions.