LANDI KOTAL: Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Nazir Ahmad Butt has said that militancy in Khyber Agency would be uprooted completely as security forces were chasing a handful of such elements after completion of the military operations.

He was talking to a group of de-radicalised tribesmen at Sabawoon 2 internment centre in Bara on Tuesday. About 126 surrendered militants out of the total 302 such elements at the said centre had completed their counselling course.

The Peshawar corps commander lauded the sacrifices of people of Bara in the struggle against militancy and cleansing the region of all undesirable elements. “This would not have been possible without the active and wholehearted support of local tribesmen,” he added.

He urged tribal youth to get education to compete with the developed nations. He asked the local residents to bear all hardships for the sake of imparting quality education to their children as they would achieve their goals by getting education.

He said that tribal youth fell into wrong hands and deviated from their path as they had distanced themselves from education in the recent past. They were lured by the outlawed groups, he added.

The corps commander said that he felt happy to see that more than 100 de-radicalised tribesmen completed their counselling course successfully. “They will now reunite with their families happily,” he added.

Mr Butt assured the political administration of army’s full support and cooperation against the menace of drug smuggling and said that every effort would be made to make Khyber Agency a drug-free tribal region.

Later he took salute from the passed out tribesmen. Inspector General Frontier Corps (North) Maj Gen Wasim Ashraf, Political Agent Khalid Mehmud and a large number of tribal elders were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2018