Administration refuses Imran Khan for Waziristan rally

Citing security reasons, the administration of South Waziristan Agency has refused to permit the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to lead a peace-march in Kotkai area of the conflict-hit region.

Quoting an official Dawn.com said, “Neither the condition in Waziristan is favourable nor the political administration has the capacity to provide security to about 100,000 participants of the rally in Kotkai.”

Quoting the intelligence reports, the official said that militants might attack the rally and the authorities could not take a huge risk because the local people were also opposing the scheduled rally in the area.

He noted, “The administration has received applications from local people against the plan to hold the rally in Kotkai. People displaced by violence in the area have recently been repatriated from camps.”

The cricketer-turned-politician reportedly sought permission from the local administration to hold the peace-march in Kotkai, near the Jandola Frontier Region.

According to the reports, local PTI leader Dost Muhammad held a meeting with Political Agent Shahidullah, seeking permission for the rally.

However, the administration informed the party leader that it was not possible to allow political parties to hold any public meeting or rally in any part of South Waziristan.

Earlier, the former captain while addressing a presser said that a 30-member delegation of foreigners had arrived in the country to take part in the peace-rally, adding that the Mehsud, Burki and Bhittani tribes had welcomed the plan and pledged to provide security.

According to the tribal code, it was the responsibility of local tribes and Khasadar force to provide security to outsiders in their areas and in the current situation both of them were not in a position to make adequate security arrangements for thousands of people.

Officials in the area were of the opinion that there were many stakeholders in the area and it wasn’t possible for a weak administration to take the risk.

He said local tribes had also lost their influence after their displacement.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Oct 2 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.