SWAT: A large number of people from Totano Bandai area of Kabal tehsil on Friday took to the streets against the security forces for not vacating their 150 kanals of land and houses under their use for the last 15 years.

Led by Anwar Ali, Amir Nawab, Mohammad Ali Shah, Mufti Arifullah, Fawad Khan, Aftab Khan and others, they gathered at the local bus stand, chanting slogans in favour of their demands.

They said they had voluntarily allowed the security forces to use their houses and agricultural lands when a military operation against the militants was launched in 2009. They said the security forces had established a camp on their lands and promised them to vacate it once the military operation ended. They added they had shifted to other areas and had to live in rented houses.

The residents said though the security forces gave them monthly rent for their houses, their agricultural lands were used by the security forces free of cost.

The local residents said they were not even allowed to cultivate their lands, which was the major source of their livelihoods, putting them in financial stress.

They said as peace had returned to Swat, and the army had constructed a cantonment in the valley, it should allow them to use their lands for farming. The residents said a month ago, the Swat deputy commissioner and Kabal assistant commissioner had assured them to resolve the issue, but to no avail.

They threatened to extend their protest to other cities if their houses and lands were not vacated in one week.

HOSPITAL STAFF: Malakand division commissioner Saqib Raza Aslam has directed round-the-clock availability of staff in hospitals and provision of all the facilities there.

He was presiding over a virtual meeting with the district health officers at his office in Saidu Sharif to review facilities and presence of staff in divisional headquarters and district headquarters hospitals.

The meeting was told that hospitals in all the districts of Malakand were well-equipped with staff and necessary equipment to provide emergency services to people.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2023