PESHAWAR: Police fired tear gas shells to disperse participants of an Amn (peace) March staged by displaced residents of Tirah valley in Khyber tribal district, officials and eyewitnesses said.
Carrying white flags, the protesters were demanding peace in Tirah, the rest of Khyber district, and the entire province.Police had blocked the road near Pishtakhara to stop the entry of the participants to Peshawar. They fired teargas shells to disperse the mob when they tried to break the blockade.
Police had fired teargas shells on protesters from Khyber in a similar way on Ring Road near Hayatabad a few days back. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Central) president Abdul Wasi has condemned the use of tear gas and baton charge against displaced residents of Tirah valley in Khyber tribal district, terming it the worst example of oppression, injustice, and fascism.
Addressing the protesters here, Abdul Wasi said the unarmed affectees were peacefully protesting for their return to their homes and the restoration of peace in the region. He said the government must immediately fulfill the promises made to the Tirah affectees, ensure their safe return to their homes, and take emergency measures to restore peace in the merged tribal districts instead of using force against citizens demanding their legitimate rights.
He stated that the government had signed a 35-point agreement with a 24-member jirga representing the Tirah affectees and had promised to ensure their return to their native areas by April 10. However, the agreement had yet to be implemented, forcing the displaced people to stage protests, he added.
Abdul Wasi urged the government to immediately arrange the dignified return of the displaced families instead of subjecting them to shelling and violence. He added that protecting the lives and property of citizens and restoring public confidence were among the government’s primary responsibilities.
Expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said the recent incidents in Bannu, Sarai Naurang, and other areas had created fear and insecurity among the public. He said the increasing incidents of terrorism and unrest reflected the government’s failure to adopt an effective strategy for lasting peace.
He stated that Jamaat-e-Islami would continue supporting the legitimate rights of the Tirah affectees and would not leave them alone at any stage.The sit-in was also addressed by Jamaat-e-Islami Khyber district head Shah Faisal Afridi, Khan Wali Afridi, and other tribal leaders. The speakers demanded the immediate implementation of promises made to the people displaced from their homes in the name of military operations and called for allowing the displaced families, suffering in the scorching heat, to return to their homes with dignity.
