SWABI - Members of a peace jirga and the participants vowed in a gathering on Tuesday at Topi town that they would continue their struggle for eradicating private interest and ‘underplay’ businesses from the district.
They were speaking at the chehlum of Jehanzeb Khan who had committed suicide in February after he was repeatedly asked to pay back the money he had barrowed on interest.
The jirga members said that they had planned to establish a district wing in Swabi soon and their top priority would be uprooting the increased interest business across the area.
Participants were informed that the peace jirga members had eliminated interest-based businesses in Peshawar, Mardan and Charsadda and had registered FIRs against the heavyweights involved in such businesses. Same practice would be adopted in district Swabi, they said.
Syed Kamal Shah, provincial chairman of the peace jirga, said that the jirga members would educate the people about the curse of interest and those involved in such businesses would be dealt with according to the law. “No one is above the law.
The government has banned such businesses strictly and was acting against those involved in interest-based businesses,” he said.
Arshad Manan, general secretary of the jirga, said that free legal support would be provided to the victims but the victims would have to identify those demanding interest from them.
Rahimzada, an activist of the peace jirga, said that with the support of the government, they would continue their efforts. The struggle has proved helpful as many people have given up the business and a number of families have been set free from the clutches of the interest-seekers, he said.
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