MINGORA: Speakers here on Saturday said that peace in Swat had been earned after great sacrifices of the people and security forces, and no anti-state and anti-peace elements would be allowed to create chaos again.

They were speaking at a public meeting of Malakand division organised by Pakistan Zindabad Movement at the Grassy Ground in Mingora. People from Shangla, Buner, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Malakand and Swat districts participated. They were holding national flags and chanted slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and ‘Pakistan Army Zindabad’.

The speakers said that Malakand division in general and Swat valley in particular witnessed an ugly phase of terrorism where peace was restored with the sacrifices of people and security forces.

“From 2007 to 2009 anti-state elements in the shape of Taliban challenged the writ of the government where a game of fire and blood was played, but peace was restored with the sacrifices of Pakistan Army and people of Swat,” said MPA Fazal Hakim, adding that Swat was a peaceful place where nobody would be allowed to harm it.

Swat Traders Federation president Abdur Rahim Khan said that Swati people were peaceful and patriotic. “We, the people of Swat believe that we can solve our issues ourselves and there is no need that people from Waziristan and Tank come here and claim to resolve issues here,” he said, adding that the people of Swat were displaced by Taliban and returned home by the sacrifices of Pakistan Army.

He said that he supported the stance of Pakhtun Tahaffuz Movement regarding missing persons and expected that the issue would be resolved by mutual understanding with the Pakistan Army.

Rahmani Mulk, president of the Jamaatud Dawa in Malakand division, criticised PTM and described it as Taliban Tahaffuz Movement.

“Some people who claim to fight for the rights of Pakhtuns are actually against peace and want to harm our country,” he said, adding that RAW and NDS were promoting terrorism in Pakistan. Rahmat Ali, a resident of Mingora, said in his address that development phase had begun in the Pakhtun belt after return of peace. “Soon the area and its people will see the results of CPEC and other development projects,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2018