MANSEHRA, Aug 18: JUI (F) leader and deputy general secretary of Muttahidda Majlis-i-Amal Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, while denying the existence of Al Qaeda or Al Saeqa in the tribal belt of Kala Dhaka, termed the ongoing search operation for terror suspects unjustified.

The operation is aimed at teaching a lesson to the tribal people for their support to the religious parties, he said while speaking at a press conference here on Sunday.

The amir of JUI (F) Mansehra district, Mufti Kifayatullah, general secretary Syed Hidayatullah Shah, MMA candidate from NA-20 Syed Ghulam Nabi Shah, the Khateeb of Markazi Jamia Masjid Maulana Mufti Viqarul Haq Osmani and a large number of party workers were present on the occasion.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmad said that the military rulers, in order to achieve the desired results in the forthcoming general elections were out to target the vote bank of the religious parties in Kala Dhaka on the pretext of operation against Al Qaeda and Al Saeqa.

He warned that the operation in Kala Dhaka would have very serious consequences.

Mufti Kifayatullah said that the law enforcing agencies had been provided the list of proclaimed offenders and criminals who have taken shelter in Kala Dhaka, but no action is being taken the outlaws sheltered by the influentials in other parts of Mansehra, Batagram and Kohistan.

NAZIM CHALLENGED: Tribal leader of Kala Dhaka and a candidate on NA-21, Mansehra-II, Zar Gul Khan, has challenged the District Nazim of Mansehra, Mohammad Azam Khan Swati, to quit the office and contest elections against him.

Speaking at a press conference at a local hotel here on Sunday, he asked Azam Swati to stop meddling in the affairs of Kala Dhaka and concentrate on the welfare of his electorate. He criticized the statement of Swati in which he had declared that the tribal belt was a safe haven for criminals and proclaimed offenders.

“I would like to tell him that Kala Dhaka is the abode of true Muslims and patriotic Pakistanis,” Zar Gul said.