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| India-Pakistan |
| LI stages rally to protest killing of students in Bara |
| 2007-04-26 |
| The Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) staged a rally on Wednesday in Mandi Kas, some five kilometres from the Bara Bazaar, to protest the killing of four students in recent clashes. Most of the rally participants were armed youths, while the speakers condemned the killings of students and demanded the government let Mufti Munir Shakir live in Bara. Protesters passed a resolution calling for restoration of peace in the area through a jirga. They also demanded the government reconstruct the LI’s demolished centres. Haji Amal Gul Afridi, belonging to Malak Din Khel tribe and chief of an organisation called ‘Sarishta’, told Daily Times that the recent clash between the LI and government had disturbed the law and order situation in Bara, and that the government was responsible for the present state of affairs. “The LI is playing its due role to maintain peace in Bara,” he added. Asim Afridi, a shopkeeper, said his daily sales had plummeted from Rs 30,000 to Rs 15,000 after the recent clashes, adding that students should not be involved in politics. Saifud Din, who runs a public call office, said the crisis had massively affected his business and that the government was responsible for it. A taxi driver, requesting anonymity, told Daily Times that the situation in Bara had started worsening when several organisations emerged in the area. He said the LI workers had forced drivers to hoist LI’s black flags on their vehicles lest they should be fined. LI Commander Mohamad Tayyeb said Benazir Bhutto should review her statement condemning the LI activities, lest her party should suffer in the Khyber Agency. “Our protest will continue till Mufti Munir is back in Bara and demolished markets are reconstructed,” said Tayyab, adding that the government had agreed in a jirga to hand over the house of Pir Saifur Rehman to the LI, and that they had 30 witnesses to bear out this agreement. “Setting up check posts, fining people and burning down a criminal’s house are part of the Khyber Agency’s tribal customs, and we fine only those people against whom we have valid complaints,” said the Lashkar commander, adding that the LI had not instigated students to come to streets. |
| Posted by:Fred |