South Waziristan residents, traders seek lifting of curfew

PESHAWAR: The activists of Waziristan Students Society (WSS) staged a demonstration to protest against the curfew and internal clashes over land disputes in South Waziristan district.

Led by the society’s office bearer Attaullah and others outside Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, the protestors chanted slogans in favour of their demands.

The speakers urged the government to withdraw curfew and restore peace in the area by finding out a solution to the crisis. The representatives of Pakhtun Students Federation (PkSF) also attended the demonstration.

The speakers observed that the constant curfew had created unrest and disappointment and added to the problems of the local population.

They feared a loss of precious human lives if practical steps were not taken to resolve disputes between two tribes. They warned to expand their protest movement if the government failed to accept their demands and withdraw the curfew.

Also, members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Irrigation Employees Federation staged a demonstration against the political appointments in the tubewells irrigation division Peshawar.

The acting president of the association Sadaqat Ali Khan, general secretary Rabnawaz Khattak, secretary information Ikram and others led the protesters outside the Peshawar Press Club on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the business community on Thursday asked the district administration to lift curfew from the Rustam Bazaar in Wana as the continuous curfew had ruined their businesses.

Over 10,000 shops, filling stations, restaurants and hotels and other trade outlets remained closed after curfew clamped following terrorists attack on the security forces on Wana Bypass Road. The shopkeepers and traders said that it was an injustice with them to close their businesses for several days in Rustam Bazaar, the major hub of business activities in Wana.

They complained that the government had not changed its modus operandi despite the merger of tribal areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and, according to them, the black law of Frontier Crimes Regulation was still being implemented in vague.

They said that over 30,000 people was attached to the businesses and labour work in Rustam Bazaar but they were now rendered jobless due to the persistent curfew.

They urged the district administration to lift curfew and allow them to start their businesses at the Rustam Bazaar to earn livelihood for their poor families.