LANDI KOTAL, March 24: Jamaat-i-Islami central deputy chief Sirajul Haq said on Saturday that a civil war could erupt in the country if supply of goods to Nato forces in Afghanistan through Pakistani route was restored.

Addressing a public gathering in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency, he questioned the need of restoring supplies to Nato forces as the United States had already announced its pullout plan for Afghanistan.

“It clearly shows that the allied forces have some secret agenda in Afghanistan so they are seeking restoration of supplies,” he said.

The JI leader said that his party was willing to support and assist the US pullout but made it clear that ‘war crimes’ of America in Afghanistan were unpardonable. He feared that terrorist activities would be increased if Nato supplies were restored.

About the future status of tribal areas, Mr Haq suggested holding of  a referendum on the issue so that a genuine opinion of the tribesmen could be ascertained.

“Let the tribal people decide about their future and the political parties shall refrain from imposing their own manifesto on them,” he insisted. He made it clear that majority of the tribesmen would not accept any decision, which was taken outside Fata.

The gathering was also addressed by former MNA from Bajaur Sahibzada Haroon  Rashid, Zar Noor Afridi and Abdur Rauf Shinwari. They criticised Fata parliamentarians for what they called selling of their votes in the March 2 Senate elections.

“Fata parliamentarians have converted politics into a shameful business. They openly put their votes for auction to the shame of all egoistic tribesmen,” they alleged.

They said that more than 2.5 million tribal people had been displaced owing to military operations in different parts of Fata while militancy had badly affected the health, education and economy of the region.

They called for an immediate halt to the military operations and an honourable return of all internally displaced families to their respective areas.