Minister, MPAs make morale-boosting trip to Swat

PESHAWAR: In the face of growing criticism against elected representatives from Swat for leaving their electorate at lurch, a provincial minister and two MPAs visited the violence-plagued valley almost after seven months to convey a message to the people that they were there to ‘live and die’ with them.

As a sign of solidarity with the central leader of ANP and former federal minister Muhammad Afzal Khan, who has stayed put in his hometown Drushkhela in militant-infested Matta and bravely faced the growing attacks of the militants, NWFP Minister for Science and Technology Ayub Khan Ashari, MPAs Syed Jafar Shah and Sher Shah visited him and discussed the situation in the valley.

The ANP lawmakers besides holding a press conference in Mingora, Swat, also had whirlwind visit of some parts of Kabal and Matta tehsils as well.

“The morale of Afzal Khan Lala was quite high, who vowed to defend his people and soil to last drop of his blood,” Jafar Shah MPA told The News while recalling their meeting with Afzal Khan, commonly known as Khan Lala, at his hometown Drushkhela the other day.

He said that Khan Lala told them that he would never leave his birthplace for the fear of a handful of extremists who were bent on destroying lives, values and property of the Pakhtuns in the area.

The ANP delegation also conveyed the message of Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and informed him about the new strategy being carved out by the federal government in collaboration with the NWFP government to combat militancy and restore peace in the valley.

“Khan Lala has no particular demand from the government, but wished concrete and comprehensive steps on the part of security forces against the militants,” the ANP MPA recalled and added that under the new strategy the public representatives along with high-ups of the provincial government would visit Swat on weekly basis in order to boost up the people morale and supervise and coordinate drive against militants in Swat.

Jafar Shah, who defeated PML-Q provincial chief Amir Muqam on PF-85 Swat in 2008 general elections, claimed that the local Taliban had lost the confidence of the local people, but the fear and uncertainty still reign supreme in the crisis-hit environ of Swat.

“Those who had once donated precious belongings to the Taliban movement, are now fed up of their acts and policies, particularly regarding the ban on female education, destruction of schools and slaughtering of innocent people,” he added. However, the local people had complaints about the suffering of innocent both at the hands of Taliban and security forces, he said and added that the prolonged curfew in Swat had also multiplied the worries of common people.

The MPA also asked for more relief facilities and proper mechanism to treat and compensate the victims of military operation in the area.

He said that a unit of regular army had been deployed in Afzal Khan’s village where they defied a raid of the militants some two days back and killed about 18 militants in a fierce clash.

He said the ANP as well as NWFP government wanted the implementation of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation at the earliest in Malakand division while the party was still stand for its peace talks with the Taliban in case they lay down their arms.