Government should announce ceasefire: Fazlur Rehman

JUI-F chief says use of force is not going to bring peace to Pakistan.

PESHAWAR: The Government should immediately announce a ceasefire and give tribal jirgas a chance to negotiate, said Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islami Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Express News reported.

He was addressing a protest rally in Peshawar against the K-P government.

The JUI-F chief said use of force was not going to bring peace to Pakistan.

Earlier on January 21, over 50 suspected militants were killed and several others injured when fighter jets and helicopter gunships bombed their hideouts in the tribal regions of North Waziristan and Khyber, officials said on Tuesday. The air strikes – targeting militant hideouts in Mir Ali, Miramshah and Tirah Valley – came in response to the recent surge in militant attacks targeting security forces.

“The government should first implement the decisions taken at the All Parties Conference; if any one tries to sabotage peace then security forces should act against them,” said Fazlur Rehman.

The JUI-F Chief also slammed the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, calling it a representative of western ideas. Fazlur Rehman accused the PTI-led government of furthering the "West’s agenda".

The JUI-F chief also said that the K-P government was a product of massive rigging in the last year’s general elections.

“The US and Jewish agents in K-P are chanting anti-west slogans but behind the scenes, they are working on western ideas,” he added.

Rehman further accused the current rulers in the province of destroying the culture of K-P and spreading immorality.