PESHAWAR, June 10 The NWFP government has directed employees serving in Mingora to resume their duties forthwith and report to the district coordination officer about their arrival in their respective departments.

Briefing journalists about the visit of NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti to Mingora on Wednesday, Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain directed the Tehsil Municipal Authority and the health department to ensure the employees' presence in Mingora by June 11. He said the government had also asked the National Bank of Pakistan to resume its operation in the town forthwith, because most of the departments and businesspeople had deposits with the NBP branches.

Environment Minister Wajid Ali Khan, MPAs Sher Shah, Jafar Shah and Waqar Khan, home secretary and provincial police officer were also present in Mingora and visited different parts of the city.

Mr Hussain said the chief minister had renamed the Green Chowk as Martyrs Chowk because militants would hang people after killing them at this square. The security forces had cleared the square after killing 30 militants encamped in a nearby building.

He said the government had advised elected representatives -- senators, MNAs and MPAs -- from Swat to go back to their constituencies and stay among their electorates.

He said their presence in the district would boost the morale of general public. He said if the chief of army staff and the chief minister could visit the area, elected representatives must reach the areas cleared by the security forces.

He said the chief minister had asked Pesco and the PTCL to restore their services in Mingora.

The local staff, he said, had repaired the grid station and started electricity supply to some areas, but it would take some more time to restore power supply to the entire district. He said the government had also directed the PTCL to restore its suspended service to Mingora. He said provision of drinking water was still a problem for authorities.

He said the chief minister had promoted police employees, from constable to deputy superintendent of police, and revenue department employees one step forward, who had been present in Swat throughout the crisis and never left the area. He said the promotion was exclusively for those who bore the brunt of toughest situation. The minister said “It is not for deserters.” He said the government would establish a park and a monument in the memory of law-enforcers killed in Swat.

During his visit to hospital, he said, the chief minister gave Rs20,000 to each patient, nurse and watchman who had stayed in the hospital during the crisis.

About the blast in the lone five-star hotel of Peshawar, he said nine people were killed and 62 injured in the incident.