PESHAWAR, Nov 25: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) has rejected the demands from certain groups to ban processions during Rabi-ul-Awal in the aftermath of the sectarian violence in parts of the country.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday, JUP provincial general secretary Mohammad Fayaz Khan said that the demand was totally unjustified and unacceptable.

`We will not allow anyone to impose ban on the Rabi-ul-Awal processions. We have already condemned the incident pertaining to targeting of the mourners` procession in Rawalpindi and elsewhere in the country,` he said.

However, he said that to restrict processions was not a solution to the problems.

JUP provincial president Maulana Pir Syed, senior vice president Qari Abdul Hadi and information secretary Maulana Mirajuddin were also present during the news conference.Provincial president Maulana Pir Syed said that JUP was against any ban on rallies and if any such step was taken it would be strongly resisted. He said targeting of Shia and Sunni mosques and other religious places was unIslamic and his party had strongly condemned such incidents.

Mohammad Fayaz said the JUP also condemned the drone strikes in settled areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and urged the government to order the forces to shoot down the drones if the US continued to violate Pakistan`s sovereignty.

Referring to a recent meeting of the party, he informed that JUP had decided to fully participate in the upcoming local bodies` elections, and would field its candidates in all the constituencies across the province.

Mr Fayaz said the meeting also expressed concern over growing prices of daily use items and demanded of the government to check the prices.