JUI-F bars under-18's participation in march

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has announced that the people of all schools of thought should participate in 'Azadi March' against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government except those who are under 18 years of age.

After chairing a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, General Secretary JUI-F Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri while replying to a question about the participating seminaries students in 'Azadi March' told media persons that his party will not allow the people whose age is less than 18 years to participate in the sit-in. He said that identity card (ID) holders should participate in the protest.

He said, "We will hold anti-government protest and a sit-in at D-Chowk in the federal capital peacefully." He said that children should not participate in the protest. "We will hold protest peacefully which is our democratic right." The government would be responsible if it commits any mistake to arrest the leaders or to sabotage the protest, he said.

The JUI-F leader said, "Our state institutes are nervous and in trepidation on the announcement of 'Azadi March' and sit-in of the JUI-F. We are not against the institutions and we respect them."

Answering a question, he said that the JUI-F did not appeal to seminaries for participating in 'Azadi March.' "The PTI government is showing trepidation on the announcement of sit-in at D-Chowk," he said.

Answering another question, Haideri said if JUI-F leadership is arrested and the workers come out on the roads then it would be difficult for the government to control the situation.

Meanwhile, Maulana Haideri filed an application to Islamabad chief commissioner for seeking permission to hold anti-government protest campaign 'Azadi March' and a sit-in at D-Chowk in the federal capital.

According to the application, protest is a democratic and constitutional right of an opposition party so the JUI-F should be allowed to hold 'Azadi March' in Islamabad.

Maulana Haideri said in the application: "JUI-F is going to hold 'Azadi March' on October 27, 2019 at D-Chowk, Islamabad, by exercising its democratic and constitutional right under the Articles 16 and 17 of the Constitution of Pakistan against the incumbent government."