PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq led a “peace march” here on Wednesday and said peace was vital for the development of both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He also urged Kabul to take steps for peace in the region.

The JI emir said that at a time when the country faced political and economic uncertainty, conspiracies were being hatched to trigger a civil war in the country and divide the nation.

“The colonial powers responsible for dividing the country have resume their old games. The US and India to pit Kabul and Islamabad against each other,” he said.

Complains those behind Peshawar mosque bombing not traced

Mr Siraj said that instead of Europe and the US, foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari should have visited Afghanistan to promote regional peace.

He said that both federal and provincial governments weren’t bothered about the poor law and order situation in the country.

The JI emir complained that the people behind the Jan 30 Peshawar mosque bombing had yet to be traced.

He said that the ruling parties as well as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf were fighting for power at a time when the people suffered from the growing insecurity and high inflation rate.

Mr Siraj said that the people had lost trust in parliament, judiciary and politicians.

He said that the party would hold peace marches at district and tehsil levels in the province.

The Jamaat emir asked the government to devise a comprehensive strategy for maintaining the law and order situation and warned that if that didn’t happen, his party would stage a sit-in in the federal capital until peace was restored in the province.

He also complained about enforced disappearances and said that if missing persons had committed any crime, authorities should produce them before the courts of law for trial.

Mr Siraj said that his party would “go to any extent” for the cause of peace.

He insisted that the province’s police lacked necessary weapons, ammunition and equipment to fight militancy.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2023