Political parties to stage demo at D-Chowk on Oct 29: Siraj

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq on Monday said that political parties would stage a protest demonstration at ‘D Chowk’ on October 29 to press for approval of a bill envisaging merger of the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and immediate return of the IDPs of North Waziristan Agency (NWA) to their homes.
Haq made this announcement at a press conference after a meeting with leaders of political parties active in Fata at the residence of an ex-MNA, Mian Muhammad Aslam.The JI Ameer said that leaders of all the political parties were being invited to the demonstration to be participated by thousands of people from the tribal areas. Those who attended Monday’s meeting included Fata PPP president
Akhunzada Chatan, JI Fata Ameer Sahibzada Haroonur Rashid, Zahir Shah (Qaumi Watan Party), Brig (retd) Qayyum Sher, Ms. Anita Mehsud (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf), Nisar Mohmand (Awami National Party), Aftab Khan (PML-Q), Maulana Ainuddin Shakir (JUI), Noor Afridi and Shahid Shamsi (JI) and others.
Sirajul Haq said that an All Parties Conference (APC) would also be convened on November 02 to express support to the proposed bill for merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtun and giving it status of Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (Pata) on the pattern of Malakand division.
“The time has come that tribal areas are brought in the national mainstream and people there also enjoy all the constitutional rights,” he said.He pointed that the people of tribal areas have been loyal to Pakistan and abiding by commitment of their elders made with Founder of the Nation. “They have been giving sacrificing for Pakistan but they are being kept behind in the nation building,” he said.
The JI top leader also regretted that winter season has started but so far no arrangements have been made for honourable return of IDPs of North Waziristan back to their homes. “The time has arrived to make immediate arrangements for return IDPs to Norther Waziristan,” he said.
Akhunzada Chatan of PPP while appreciating stance of JI leader said that Senator Sirajul Haq has already raised voice for rights of people of tribal areas. He also thanked JI ameer for hosting APC on issue of rights of tribal people. He made it clear that demonstration at ‘D Chowk’ was not meant against the federal government.