PESHAWAR, Aug 1: The NWFP government on Friday decided that law-enforcement agencies would continue their operation in Swat till its objectives were achieved and peace was restored in the area.

According to a handout, NWFP Governor Owais Ghani, Chief Minister Amir Haider Hoti and Peshawar corps commander reaffirmed at a meeting that life and property of peaceful citizens would be fully protected.

It was noted with regret that in spite of government’s repeated efforts to make the peace agreement work, the trouble-makers and their leaders were indulging in destructive and terrorist activities.

The meeting noted that 61 girls’ schools had been destroyed with over 17,000 children deprived of education and several bridges and public properties had been damaged.

Besides, they killed several society leaders, government officials and law-enforcement personnel.

The meeting said that the real anarchist agenda of the miscreants was complete destruction of society.

Hameedullah Khan adds from Mingora: Clashes between security forces and militants in Swat on Friday left another five civilians dead and 25 others wounded.

The deaths raised the toll over the past three days to 73.

Sources said the security forces pounded locations in Kabal, Matta and Charbagh. The militants set on fire two schools and blew up a police post on Thursday night.

People complained that relentless artillery shelling had caused collateral damage.

The buzz of helicopter gunships and heavy artillery shelling rocked the region, sparking an exodus.

Army and paramilitary forces targeted positions from their base camps in Kanju Township and the Frontier House.

The authorities have yet to prepare a plan to help the displaced families and evacuate the wounded.

The area people said a mortar shell hit the house of one Rahim Shah in the Ahmad Tangi locality, killing his 10-year old son Zakir Shah and injuring five other members of the family.

A woman was killed and a girl injured in a mortar attack in Charbagh and three bodies were found in Matta.

People of Matta said 25 people were wounded and they were facing difficulty in taking them to hospitals. Several houses were damaged.

Militant cleric Maulana Fazlullah’s spokesman Muslim Khan claimed that 36 security personnel and government employees were in their custody, while officials said more than 45 militants had been killed in three days.

The violence and curfew have paralysed life in the valley.

Curfew was relaxed in Mingora, the district headquarters, from 10am to 3pm.

People of Matta tehsil said the security forces did not allow them to shift to safe places.

Rehmat Ali Khan, a resident of Matta, said the price of a 40kg flour bag had risen from Rs950 to Rs2,500.