BANNU: The three-week-long peace march and shutdown strike ended after the tribal elders and officials of the district administration held successful negotiations to end rising lawlessness and restore a lasting peace in the region.
The protest movement led by former senator Baz Muhammad Khan advocate, Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan and Dr Pir Sahib Zaman, was launched after a surge in terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, target killings and the prolonged closure of major road and link routes.
Besides Member National Assembly Maulana Syed Naseem Ali Shah and Member Provincial Assembly Malik Pakhtunyar Khan, thousands of participants attended the protest camp staged at the Amn Chowk on Miranshah Road in Bannu.
Following the talks, the district administration announced that roads surrounding the main city would be reopened immediately as per first phase while traffic on Juma Khan Road, Kot Brara and Amandi routes would be restored in the second phase.The elders and political leaders also urged the civil administration and security agencies to take measures for sustainable peace and ensure the safety of the people and their property.
Prior to the agreement, the district saw a complete shutdown where markets, transport hubs, and private educational institutions remained closed.The Peshawar High Court Bar (Bannu Bench) and the District Bar Association also boycotted court proceedings to express solidarity with the protesters.
The elders and political leaders said that while their demands had been previously accepted by the apex committee during the tenure of the then chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, a lack of implementation had fuelled public anxiety.The successful conclusion of the talks brought a wave of relief to citizens with routine life and business activities now gradually resuming across the district.
