MMA leaders entry in Waziristan banned

ISLAMABAD: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain on Friday barred MMA leaders Maulana Fazlur Rahman and Hafiz Hussain Ahmad from entering North Waziristan Agency.

MMA deputy parliamentary leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmad said that the NWFP governor had stopped them from attending a peace conference in Mir Ali, in North Waziristan Agency to be organised by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl on Sunday. The political administration has been directed to ensure that MMA leaders could not attend the conference. Security has been tightened on all routes leading to North Waziristan in view of the arrival of MMA leaders. “We were told on Friday that we cannot attend the conference as the governor has banned our entry,” he said.

The MMA leader alleged that government on one hand had taken its parliamentarians to North Waziristan but the MMA’s were banned. “We condemn it and will hold the peace conference as planned,” he added. MMA acting president Qazi Hussain Ahmed also described the ban as unjustified saying the government was destroying the peaceful situation in tribal areas at the US behest. “We will continue to protest against such provocative government steps in parliament,” he said. MMA Secretary General Maulana Fazlur Rahman said the government was increasing tension by taking such decisions. —Agencies

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