Monday, May 18, 2009

Swat Qaumi Jirga supports operation



PESHAWAR: Expressing satisfaction over the ongoing military operation in Swat, Buner and Dir Lower districts, members of the Swat Qaumi Jirga on Sunday asked the government and security forces to take it to its logical conclusion.

“Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Sirajul Haq and Imran Khan should not score political points on the massacre of our children and destruction of our property,” said the Jirga members after its meeting at the provincial headquarters of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) here.

“We wish to convey our voice to the participants of the government-sponsored All Parties Conference (APC), scheduled to be held today (Monday), not to pay heed to the voices of some so-called political and religious elements who want an end to the operation in Malakand Division,” the Swat Qaumi Jirga declared.

Besides Jirga members, the meeting was attended by Swat district Nazim Jamal Nasir, Nazim Batkhela Abdul Jabbar, Ayub Khan, Ziauddin Yousafzai and Provincial President of PkMAP Mukhtar Khan Yousafzai.

Briefing the journalists, Mukhtar Yousafzai, flanked by the rest of the Jirga members, said the Swat operation should continue till the militants laid down their arms or were eliminated. “The problem can’t be solved through talks as the government has already conceded much time and concessions. Now it is time to act,” said Yousafzai while voicing strong support for the military action. He said religious or other parties asking for an end to the operation had two options. “Either they are supporting the terrorists or are against them,” said Yousafzai, who also demanded of the provincial and central governments to charge the former commissioner Malakand Division Muhammad Javed and Chief of Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) Sufi Muhammad over the killing hundreds of people.

Nazim Swat Jamal Nasir, Nazim Batkhela Abdul Jabbar and Ziauddin Yousafzai said although they were satisfied with the pace of the operation, yet the people of the Malakand Division wanted the elimination of the top Taliban leadership.

“The operation must be quick and targeted. Security forces will win hearts of the people by eliminating the high value targets in Swat,” they demanded. Some of the Jirga members complained that the Taliban FM radio was still operational, creating doubts in the minds of the people of Swat.

The Jirga members appealed to the people to boycott the religious and political parties demanding suspension of the operation and asking for talks with the militants at this crucial time.

They also warned against some elements active in the camps for the internally displaced persons in the guise of welfare organisations. They asked the government to take action against such elements.

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