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| India-Pakistan |
| Protest rallies held across Swat against recent 'wave of militancy' |
| 2022-08-13 |
| [DAWN] A large group of people on Friday erupted into the streets across Swat ...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat... to protest against the presence of murderous Moslems in mountains bordering the area, asserting that they will never allow any elements to sabotage the "hard-earned peace" in the region. The protests, titled ’We want peace in Swat’ and ’No to terrorism’, were held near the Matta Chowk in Khwazakhela tehsil and Kabal Chowk in Kabal tehsil. The demonstrators were seen holding white and black flags as they walked through the markets of the districts. They also chanted "We want peace in Swat and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa" slogans. The protestors, led by civil society activists Dr Amjad Ali, Advocate Ali Namdar, Ghairat Yousafzai, Ibne Amin Yousafzai, Rehmat Ali, Fawad Khan, Ehtishamul Haq, Mehtab Khan, Anwar Ali and Aftab Khan, said that the people of Swat would not be fooled again by any elements. "We are peaceful people and we want durable peace at any cost. These elements must know that we have earned peace after extending unlimited sacrifices and we will not allow anyone to sabotage it," said Ali, while addressing the rally. He continued that the residents of the region had earned peace over the years and were not ready to be "disgraced, displaced, or killed". The participants of the rally expressed anger and sadness over videos recently released by bully boys. Last week, a video surfaced on social media showing a man claiming to be a member of the TTP interrogating an army major whose hands had evidently been tied behind his back, and asserting that the murderous Moslems had taken him and two others — a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and a soldier — hostage. A jirga later successfully negotiated the release of the captives. On August 8, it was reported that four coppers, including a DSP, were maimed in a clash between police and suspected murderous Moslems at the mountainous border of Swat and Dir districts. While Swat’s district police officer said only one policeman was injured and the murderous Moslems suffered heavy casualties, unofficial sources said four coppers were hurt. Also last week, PTI MPA Malik Liaquat Khan was maimed and three others were killed in Lower Dir when the vehicle in which he was travelling came under attack by bully boys. At today’s protest, Namdar said that the residents wanted the district administration and the provincial government to investigate the incident through a judicial commission immediately and put its findings in front of the entire nation. "Ensuring peace in Swat is the duty of security agencies and if they fail to do so, it will be a violation of the Constitution," he added. Furthermore, the protesters questioned the role of the security and law enforcement agencies regarding the reappearance of murderous Moslems in the mountains of Swat. Related: Swat : 2022-08-10 Senior TTP leader Omar Khalid Khorasani killed in Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson confirms Swat : 2022-07-01 Now deceased Sgt. of Arms at the Senate admitted, all of the 'agitation was done by paid agitators' Swat : 2022-06-29 Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger - who was in charge of Capitol security on January 6 and who blamed 'professional agitators' - dies suddenly, hours before TODAY's surprise hearing moved up because of 'safety concerns' for Mark Meadows' top aide |
| Posted by:Fred |