ISLAMABAD: A meeting between representatives of the Pashtun Qaumi Jirga and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi failed to convince the protesters to end their protest sit-in in the federal capital, which entered its eighth day on Wednesday.
The protesters are determined to continue the sit-in even though reports surfacing after the meeting claimed that the elders had decided to end the protest after the PM assured them that their demands will be met.
The premier, during his meeting with tribal elders, said that all resources would be employed to arrest the suspended SSP Rao Anwar involved in the killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in a staged police encounter in Karachi on January 13. The PM also said that the issue of Naqeebullah Mehsud’s murder is not just a matter of the provincial government but also a matter of the state.
The jirga members on their arrival at the protest venue were widely divided as a group of elders were convinced with the prime minister’s assurances and favoured wrapping up the dharna, however, a majority of the members strongly opposed the idea to end the sit-in without any solid reason.
The elders in favour of ending the dharna were asked who will take responsibility if demands were not met by the government, to which they had no answer. The participants said that they were not convinced with hollow promises and decided to continue the protest until a workable solution was given to what they called ‘genuine demands’.
Haji Zahid Bashir, a protester, said there were a number of precedents where agreements were not materialized after ending dharnas.
He said that around 15 elders had left the venue in protest, stating that the sit-in should have ended after the prime minister assured the resolution of their demands.
Sohail Mohmand, another tribal elder, demanded that the army chief should take notice of the demands of the protesting tribal people.
He vowed that they would continue peaceful protest sit-in and would not resort to violence and blockade of roads, hoping that the concerned authorities would take concrete steps to address the issue.
On Wednesday, a number of people including lawyers and students reached the venue of the dharna and gave new impetus to the protest.
The protesters vowed that since they are citizens of the country; their demands should be settled at the earliest.
They said that the tribal people have already paid a heavy price in the war against terrorism; hence their sacrifices should be recognized and they should be treated like other people of the country as they are equal citizens.
