ANP, PPP activists call off hunger strike in Kurram

PARACHINAR: Local leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) called off hunger strike in Kurram Agency here Monday.The leaders of both parties went on a hunger strike on Sunday to protest against the government’s failure to curb sectarian violence during the last several months, which caused closure of the main road leading to Parachinar.Later, the central leaders of PPP and ANP and some tribal elders assured the strikers of restoring peace and opening of roads, and the strike was postponed for a week. Addressing a press conference, PPP’s Hamid Hussain and ANP’s Qurban Ali said certain elements fanned militancy and sectarian strife in the area to defame the PPP-led government in the Center and that of ANP’s in the Frontier. To counter the conspiracies, they decided to stage protests over the issue, they said, adding if order were not restored, they would again go on strike.On the occasion, both the political leaders appealed to PPP co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and President Pervez Musharraf to take measures for restoration of peace in the agency.

The NEWS International
4/29/2008