PESHAWAR, Aug 29: The ongoing killings and burning of their ‘paradise’ has forced the terrified and broken MPAs from Swat to lament the “helplessness” of their government and denounce the “meaningless” operation against militants in the valley.

A minister, Wajid Ali Khan, broke out in the house on Friday while portraying the death and destruction in his district.

Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said they (lawmakers) wanted to strengthen the hands of the army troops engaged in the operation against terrorists so that this cycle of violence could be overcome.

At the same time, some MPAs sought the court martial of military officers “who had failed to provide protection to the innocent, peace-loving and unarmed residents” of the fear-bound district.

They called upon the government to initiate a result-oriented action against criminals engaged in target killing of people and ransacking of property in various parts of the valley.

They said the issue needed to be dealt with through collective efforts of the house. “It is not a political issue. Not a headache of one party, instead it is a concern for all of us as it is a human issue,” they said.

Shamsher Khan said if the government could not ensure protection of an MPA, how it would protect the life and property of the common man.

He said criminals had gathered the names of those people, who were on their hit-list. After killing 10 family members of MPA Waqar Ahmed three days ago, he said, criminals had besieged and attacked the house of Afzal Khan Lala, a veteran nationalist leader.

He called upon his fellow MPAs on the treasury and opposition benches to adopt a concrete policy against the genocide of ‘saner’ elements in Swat.

Provincial Minister Ayub Khan, also from Swat, said the government had not taken any pre-emptive action to counter terrorism.

He said the government had lost its writ in Swat. “Our elders had warned the rulers to stay away from Afghan affairs and not to fuel war in Afghanistan as it may spill over to the tribal areas. Now we are reaping what we had sown.

After tribal agencies, violence has crept into Swat and it may lay hands on Mardan and Peshawar in future,” he added.

He said the coalition government had used all available peace options to settle the things with the so-called champion of the religion, but they had turned down all peaceful offers.

Forest Minister Wajid Ali said savageness had turned his beautiful district into a valley of death.

He said lawmakers could not go their homes because they faced threats from terrorists. The establishment was aware of the consequences, but it was not taking any interest to stop it, he added.

Jaffar Shah, another member from Swat, proposed to the Frontier government to declare emergency in the valley and beef up security by detailing more troops in the district.

He said students who had arrived from Swat should be accommodated in educational institutes of Peshawar and other districts.

He proposed to the government to write off agriculture loans of the people of the district. He also proposed different security zones for the district.

Concluding the debate on Swat, Mian Iftikhar said the MPAs had given a real, but dreadful picture of their district. The killers, he said, had shot dead the brother and nephews of MPA Waqar Ahmed in front of their women.

“It is not Islam, it is terrorism. They want to terrorise the people of the valley. It is the right time to support law-enforcement agencies and stand up against terrorism.”

The minister said they saluted all those, including policemen and army soldiers, who had sacrificed their lives during the operation against terrorists and criminals.He asked his fellow MPAs to break their silence and raise voice against the genocide of innocent people in Swat.

According to PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardar, he said, the Taliban had an upper hand in Swat. “I do not believe it, if the Taliban have an upper hand what troops are doing there. We demand a decisive operation against criminals.

We are with troops fighting against terrorists. We want to get punished the enemies of humanity,” he said.

Earlier, lawmakers from Swat, Shangla, Upper and Lower Dir, Swabi, Mardan, Kohistan, Mansehra, Malakand, Charsadda, Nowshera and Battagram staged a walkout when the speaker did not allow them to speak on the worsening situation in Swat.