BANNU: The residents here on Friday rallied against the worsening law and order in the district.
A peace march was held here under the banner of “Bannu Amn Pasoon” to protest against the lawlessness. Political leaders, social activists, tribal elders and residents attended the peace march.
The march was led by Jamaat-e-Islami’s Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Malik Farzand Ali Khan Amandi, Malik Zarnosh Khan Amandi, Awami National Party leader Baz Muhammad Khan, Syed Kamal Shah, Dr Pir Sahib Zaman, former tehsil nazim Engineer Malik Ihsan Khan, Malik Farmanullah Mirakhel, Malik Hikmat Yar Khan and other local elders.
The procession started from Lakki Gate and passed through various city bazaars before culminating at Preeti Gate, where it turned into a large public gathering.
Participants raised slogans in favour of peace and against lawlessness, expressing concern over the surge in criminal activities in the area.
Addressing the gathering, speakers announced that a grand peace jirga would be held on April 2 at the Jamaat-e-Islami office in Bannu to decide the future course of action. They said representatives from all schools of thought,
political parties, tribal elders and civil society would be invited to formulate a joint strategy.
The speakers said the law and order in Bannu and southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had become alarming, citing a rise in target killings, extortion, kidnappings for ransom and other crimes, which they said had made life difficult for the public.
They demanded that no military operation in the province, particularly in Bannu, would be accepted, and called on the government to produce all missing persons before courts. They also urged authorities to immediately shut down all centres of armed groups, stating that the people of Bannu rejected the presence and interference of all such groups.
The speakers further demanded that provincial control over mines and minerals, including oil and gas as granted under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, be maintained.
They also called for the withdrawal of cases registered against local elders under Schedule IV and other anti-terrorism laws following protests held on July 19, 2024, and demanded the release of all detained elders.
Highlighting civic issues, the speakers said several roads in Bannu had remained closed for over a year due to security restrictions, causing severe hardship for residents and disrupting traffic flow.
They demanded the immediate reopening of key roads, including Miranshah Road, Kot Barrah, Kot Adil, Juma Khan Road and Amandi Hanif Road.
They said traders were facing insecurity while ordinary citizens were living in fear.
Criticising the government and security institutions, the speakers held them responsible for the deteriorating situation, alleging that the state had failed to ensure peace and was treating the people of Bannu unfairly.
The participants vowed to continue raising their voice for peace and to remain united in their struggle for the restoration of law and order in the region.
