CHITRAL: Local leaders of outlawed Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) on Wednesday criticized the district administration for not allowing its central leaders to attend religious gatherings in Chitral.
Speaking at a press conference here, ASWJ Chitral chief Molana Khosh Wali Khan, patron-in-chief Molana Sirajuddin, general secretary Molana Javedur Rehman, Qari Khalilur Rehman, Qari Inayatur Rehman and others said the party’s central leaders were scheduled to visit Chitral to attend congregations at Shahi Masjid Chitral and Jamia Masjid Gesu in Khot.
Earlier, the local admin and security agencies had verbally assured the jamaat that permission would be granted but at the eleventh hour the local administration refused to grant an NOC for the visit of the leadership, they claimed.
They said ASWJ had held similar gatherings in other parts of the province and the decision of the district administration to deny such a permission to its leaders was unjustified.
They said their party had supported the PTI and Imran Khan on the promise of the latter to set up a governance system on the basis of the state of Madina. But there is neither such a system nor anyone is talking about the justice system based on the state of Madina, they regretted.
They said the ASWJ supporters in Chitral were angry over the decision of the local administration and wanted to launch a protest move but they were told to remain peaceful.
They said ASWJ had always worked for religious harmony and peace in the area.
Sources told ChitralToday that the central leaders of the banned outfit had been denied permission to attend the gatherings in Chitral in accordance with the National Action Plan (NAP).
Reporting: Muhkam Uddin Ayuni