LANDI KOTAL: The Khyber Agency political administration released at least 65 suspected militants, who had surrendered to the security forces during military operation in Bara.    

Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah told Dawn that as many as 602 suspected militants, affiliated with Bara-based proscribed militant groups, had surrendered to the government at different times after the launch of Khyber-One operation in the tribal area on October 16 last year.

The surrendered men, including both young and elderly, were kept at Levies Centre in Shahkas near and Jamrud and some private buildings, currently under the occupation of security forces in Bara.

“The released men, mostly elderly and belonging to different tribes of Bara, have completed

eight to 10 months of de-radicalisation programme at the internment centres. They are now at the disposal of elders of their respective tribes for their future good conduct,” said Mr Shah.

He added that the administration on its part would also keep a strict vigil on the activities of those former extremists so that they didn’t revert to their previous unlawful activities.

The Khyber Agency political administration had hired the services of some workers and instructors of Sabawoon, a non-governmental organisation having expertise in re-radicalising suspected militants surrendered to security in different parts of tribal areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  

Accommodation was provided to the Sabawoon instructors and teachers at Al-Haj Market Centre near Bara Bazaar where they imparted training in different trades to the young captives while the older lot was given psychological treatment and religious education.

“We categorised the surrendered men in according with their age and the crimes they had committed,” the political agent said and added that those involved in minor crimes were released first after completion of their training and education and later a firm assurance by the pro-administration tribal elders about their good conduct.

He said that the objective of imparting skill development training to the former militants was to enable them to find a decent source of earning once they went back to the society while religious education and psychological therapy was to enable them to live a peaceful life in accordance with the Islamic injunctions.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2015

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