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GILGIT, June 5: The Northern Areas administration and protesting Shia leaders have agreed to end the three-day long crisis in Gilgit, Skardu and other parts of the Northern Areas when both the parties agreed to sign a formula evolved on Saturday over the Islamiat syllabus issue.
"Now we have deleted the condition (which said the implementation of this formula was subject to the approval of the Northern Areas Chief Executive) from the agreed minutes of May 20, 2004, as the condition was not acceptable to Shia leader Agha Ziauddin Rizvi," Northern Areas home secretary Saeed Ahmed Khan told reporters at a press briefing on Saturday.
The delegation that comprised Northern Areas deputy speaker Mohammad Jafar, NALC advisers Mohammad Ismail and Sheikh GHulam Haider, advocates Altaf Hussain and Muzaffar Ali and GIlgit Municipality chairman Javed Akhtar had proceeded to meet the detained Shia leader, Aga Ziauddin Rizvi, to seek his approval, Mr Khan said.
"We are sure that we have deleted the condition on the demand of Agha Ziauddin Rizvi and he has accorded his consent accordingly," he added.
According to the formula evolved on the syllabus issue, he said, the Shia students would be taught Islamiyat according to their faith and belief up to class-X while the same holds true for the Sunnis in their respective dominating areas, Mr Khan said. Whereas, in the mixed populations, the versions of both schools of thought would be separately explained to the students, he added.
He further said that it was not possible to print separate textbooks overnight for the Northern Areas, but Punjab textbooks would be taught by skipping controversial lessons and chapters.
Mr Khan said they had redrafted a document in Urdu language for Mr Rizvi and he had to ensure that no strikes, protests and demonstrations would be held on the issue of syllabus in future as he had agreed that the issue related to federal level and till its final solution the interim arrangement would be honoured.
To a question, the home secretary said question papers of the examinations would be free of any controversial material, choice in questions would be ensured and the ongoing KIU exams rescheduled on return of normalcy.
Primary issue relating to the syllabus has been settled and Mr Rizvi's release and law and order situation were separate issues and would be dealt with accordingly, Mr Khan said, adding that Mr Rizvi was detained under 16 MPO and some FIRs.
80 HELD: The law enforcement agencies continued the operation clean-up against the protesters on Saturday during the curfew hours and arrested at least 80 persons involved in curfew violations and firing.
"Due to security risks, the curfew was not relaxed on Saturday though it was announced around 9.50am to relax it till 12.00am and would continue without any relaxation," the Northern Areas home secretary said.
Mr Khan confirmed that a woman was shot at in her leg during the operation on Saturday at Khomer area in Gilgit but her condition was out of danger.
He said they were forced to clamp curfew in the wake of the alarming situation in Gilgit as Shia leader Agha Ziauddin Rizvi had given a call for Kafan-posh (coffin-clad) processions on June 3 on the syllabus issue.
He said action would be taken against violators of curfew and firing.
Meanwhile, six missing personnel of the Frontier Constabulary, who were guarding the Chinese engineers, had safely returned to Gilgit, he said.
They were captured by the protesters on Karakoram Highway.
Mr Khan said the mobsters stole 34 rifles and rounds from the police recruitment training centre here on June 3 and snatched from FC one long machinegun rifle, four small machineguns, two searchlights and pistols.
The home secretary said at least 40 looters were involved in the two incidents.
Following the signature on the agreement by Mr Rizvi a relaxation in three-day long curfew would be considered.
