TIMERGARA, Jan 25: The Christian community of Lower Dir has demanded of the federal and provincial governments to enforce Islamic sharia in Malakand division to ensure lasting peace in the region.

The demand was made by a 50-member delegation of the community during a visit to the protesting camp set up by the Tehrik Nifaz-Shariat-i-Muhammadi (TNSM) here, the other day. Timergara tehsil’s minority councillor Sudish Kumar led the delegation.

The delegates met with TNSM chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad, party spokesman Amir Izzat Khan and Maulana Mohammad Alam and expressed solidarity with them.

Mr Izzat Khan told Dawn after the meeting that Christians were of the view that enforcement of sharia was the only option to restore peace in the region.

Talking to this correspondent Sudish Kumar said the Christian community favoured enforcement of Islamic sharia in the region.

“We are also affiliated politically with the PPP-S and its central leaders Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and Bakht Baidar Khan had already supported the Sufi’s movement for the enforcement of sharia,” Kumar said. — Correspondent