[Dawn] Hundreds of armed volunteers joined a lashkar under the command of veteran politician and former federal minister Mohammad Afzal Khan Lala in Matta tehsil of Swat on Saturday.District Nazim Jamal Nasir also raised lashkar against militants and started patrolling in their respective areas. Witnesses said that hundreds of people brandishing heavy weapons assembled in Matta chanting slogans: Pakistan Zinda Bad and long live Swatis, resolving to fight against terrorists.
Supporters of Afzal Khan Lala, also a leader of the ruling Awami National Party, assembled at the Frontier Constabulary's base camp in Dreshkhella where hundreds of people registered themselves as volunteers.
Provincial minister for science and technology Ayub Ashari, operation commander Brig Jamal Abdul Nasir and elders of the area addressed the volunteers.
'Restoration of peace in Swat is like new life for the residents of the valley who lived in barbaric environment and under tyranny for three years,' said Afzal Khan, adding that terrorists slaughtered sons in the presence of their parents and trained children as suicide bombers.
He said that people of Swat had suffered physically, socially and economically.
He said that militants had destroyed schools, hospitals, roads, agriculture, industrial sectors and infrastructure in the valley.
People of Swat and soldiers had rendered sacrifices for restoration of peace.
He said that the army and local people would jointly reconstruct Swat.
Some 3,000 people assembled at the residence of District Nazim Jamal Nasir in Shangotai who joined the lashkar. Participants of the lashkar displayed weapons and expressed solidarity with the military in fight against militants.
Meanwhile, seven militants including Commander Abdul Sattar were killed in operation Rah-i-Rast in Ser Taligram and Manglawar areas of Swat.
Officials said that 20 militants also surrendered and detected three tunnels in Chaperyal.
The ISPR said that one of the tunnels was seven meters long.