Burning of girls’ schools in Swat condemned

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Party (PMKP) on Sunday condemned the burning of girls’ schools in FATA and Swat by militants.

Speaking at a peace conference organized by PMKP, Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao (PPP-S) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) at Rawalpindi Press Club, the speakers said that the militants had destroyed peace and stability in the region by serving the interest of the foreign forces. They said the militant acts had no backing of the Pushtoons.

Afzal Khamosh, the PMKP president, said that the militants had been planted and promoted during the military regime of Zia-ul-Haq and now they were serving the interest of those foreign forces that wanted instability and chaos in the region to their benefit.

He said militarism, terrorism and extremism demanded that the nation sink their differences and join their forces to eliminate them from the society root and branch.

PPP-Sherpao (PPP-S) General Secretary and former minister of state for education Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli said that those opposing the obscurantist and anti-state policies of the militants were being attacked forcing them to leave their respective areas.

Later, the participants took out a rally from the press club that marched up to Fowara Chowk. The participants chanted slogans against militarism, terrorism and extremism. They also condemned Israeli aggression against innocent and defenseless Palestinians.

Source: Daily Times

Date:1/26/2009