PESHAWAR, Oct 7: Activists of the Millat-i-Islamia and the Pasban-i-Sahaba held a protest demonstration at the Qissakhwani Bazaar on Tuesday to condemn the killing of MNA Maulana Azam Tariq.
The activists assembled in the bazaar in the afternoon and chanted slogans against the killers and the government.
Former general secretary of the defunct Sibah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, Aslam Farooqi, and other leaders of religious parties spoke on the occasion.
They said the government had failed to control the law and order situation and the murder of Maulana Tariq had exposed its security claims.
They vowed that the activists of Millat-i-Islamia would continue the mission of Haq Nawaz Jhangvi and Maulana Tariq, who had laid down their lives for the cause of Islam.
They demanded that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal expel Tehrik-i-Islami from its ranks and said it might create problems for the NWFP government in the future.
Funeral prayer of Maulana Tariq was also offered.Students of the Hangu Government Degree College held a protest demonstration to condemn the murder. They started a protest march from the college and assembled at the main city intersection, where they blocked the roads for about half-an-hour.The students’ leaders demanded immediate arrest of the killers.
SECURITY BEEFED UP: The city police tightened security around mosques and imambargahs to avert any untoward eventuality.
Home Secretary Abdul Haleem Kasuria presided over a meeting of senior police officials in this regard on Monday.
The meeting decided to depute 22 additional platoons of the Frontier Reserve Police and the crime investigation department for patrolling.
The district government has banned pillion riding by imposing Section 144 in the city.
CONDOLED: Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao) leader MPA Sikandar Hayat Sherpao has expressed shock over the murder of Maulana Tariq and four others.
In a statement, he said the incident was part of a conspiracy to destabilize the country through terrorism.
He demanded that the culprits be awarded exemplary punishment.
OUR DERA ISMAIL KHAN CORRESPONDENT ADDS: All markets and educational institutions remained closed here on Tuesday in protest against the assassination of Maulana Tariq.
Thousands of activists of the Millat-i-Islamia and the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan held protest demonstrations and forcibly closed a few open shops. College students also staged rallies.
However, no untoward incident was reported.