PESHAWAR/KOHAT: The activists of Jamaat-i-Islami’s youth wing, Peshawar chapter, and Peoples’ Students Federation on Tuesday held separate protest demonstrations against the MQM chief Altaf Hussain for speaking against the state and its institutions, and demanded ban on the party.

The protesters holding banners and placards inscribed with different slogans demanded of the government to bring the MQM chief to Pakistan through Interpol and award him capital punishment for such provocative speeches against the country and armed forces.

The protesters, who gathered at Sher Shah Suri Road outside the Peshawar Press Club, shouted slogans against the MQM and its chief. They also burnt effigy of Altaf Hussain. Hafiz Hameed Ullah, president of JI youth wing, led the demonstrators.

Talking to reporters, the JI activists said the provocative speech of the MQM chief was against the solidarity and integrality of Pakistan which was condemnable. They said those who issued such statements should be awarded exemplary punishment so that in future no one could dare use such language against the country.

“We will not allow anyone to use abusive language against our country,” the JI activists said and demanded of the government to immediately arrest the ‘anti-state’ elements.

They said the country had come into existence after long struggle and matchless sacrifices and no one should be allowed to speak against it.

Meanwhile, activists of Peoples’ Youth Organising Committee, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, staged a protest demonstration outside the press club against the MQM chief. They were led by Sajjad Hanif, acting chairman of the committee.

They said the government should send the people back to India who were against Pakistan. They said ‘foreigners’ had no right to stay in Pakistan.

In Kohat, a protest demonstration was held by journalists against attacks on the media houses by MQM activists in Karachi on Tuesday.

The journalists staged a sit-in outside the Kohat Press Club, where the speakers said taking law into own hands and announcing a revolt against the state were heinous crimes and that Altaf Hussain should be punished for ‘declaring’ war against the state.

They said the government should provide protection to all the media houses and punish the culprits who were creating hatred against Pakistan. They said in the past also the media had been threatened by MQM.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2016