- Party supports KP-FATA merger
PESHAWAR: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Afghanistan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal approached Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-S (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq to negotiate peace with Taliban in the country, said JUI-S spokesperson, adding that as long as US boots were on the ground, regional peace cannot be achieved.
Party spokesperson Maulana Yusuf Shah said on Wednesday Ghani and Zakhilwal were seeking Haq’s assistance because they believed he was the only person in Pakistan who could help restore peace in their country. He further said that it was not possible even if he approached Taliban, as the presence of US troops in the war-torn country was a hurdle to peace in the region.
“The Afghan nation stands by the Taliban. The moment the foreigners leave, peace will automatically be restored across Afghanistan,” he asserted.
JUI-S SUPPORTS FATA-KP MERGER: Commenting on the FATA-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa merger, Shah stated that his party strongly supported the merger of FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and restoration of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).
He announced that his party would hold public meetings in four tribal agencies and Peshawar to mobilize masses for KP-Fata merger.
Addressing a press conference here at Peshawar Press Club, he said the first public meeting would be held at Wana South Waziristan Agency on November 5, second at Miranshah in North Waziristan on November 6, third at Sadda Kurram Agency on November 11 and fourth at Jamrod Khyber Agency on November 12.
Tahmas Stadium Peshawar would host the fifth public meeting on November 18 where a large number of workers are expected to participate.
Shah supported the restoration of Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) alliance with a hope that it will produce good results on the political landscape. The meetings for the MMA revival, recently held, was attended by Saimul Haq and JUI-Fazl chief Fazlur Rehman with far-reaching results expected in near future.
However, it was reported on October 22 that “the efforts to revive the MMA suffered a jolt, as JUI-S chief Samiul Haq announced that his party would contest elections from the Dafa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) platform.” Whereas the DPC had also decided not to become a part of the MMA and contest elections from the platform of the Milli Yekjehti Council (MYC).
