LAHORE, Jan 23: The government should immediately declare the objectives and time-frame of Swat operation as confusion about is “breeding a sense of isolation among the people and strengthening the militants”.

This consensus emerged at a seminar on “Save Swat, Save Pakistan”, arranged by the Concerned Citizens of Pakistan (CCP) here on Friday. The speakers, including some people from the besieged valley, claimed that the presence of the army had worsened the situation.

“The militants have isolated the valley by disallowing the world media and destroying the cable network. The military has now driven off even the local media and only filtered news, which are cleared by the Swat Media Cell – an extension of the army – are allowed to be aired or printed.

“The situation has instilled a deep sense of isolation in the area as people think that they have been forgotten by the rest of the country,” many stakeholders were unanimous.

Zubair Turwali, a journalist from the area, claimed that if Swat falls to militants, no one would be able to save the rest of Pakistan. East Pakistan fell and went its own way. But Swat would be an altogether different case. “If militants win there, the contagion would spread to the entire country, taking it down... that is why it is important to nip it in the bud.

“There are so many unanswered questions about Swat operation and the civil society and the media should force the government to answer them. No one knows how a bunch of 600 to 700 militants have engaged over 30,000 military personnel for the last 16 months, and still gaining strength and control over the area by the day,” he wondered.

All the target killings and school blasts took place during the curfew in the area, according to Khan Saeed, a union council nazim from the area. “The militants kill people and hang the body at road crossings with a message that none should remove it till such time and no one dares removing it. Fear has taken over the entire valley as the influential, whose houses or villages were picketed by the army, have been beheaded during curfews,” he said.

The militants used to control only 15 to 20 per cent of the area when the operation started in November 2007, he said, adding that now they are in direct control of 80 per cent of the valley and fast spreading to the rest of it. “How a small force of rag-tag militants can do that in the presence of 30,000 armymen is anybody’s guess.”

He said tourism used to provide 80 per cent of income for the people, which too has gone. “Horticulture products, the second biggest source, cannot be transported out of the valley and rotting in the field. With the source of income gone, the people are living in virtual ghettos, with no civic amenities.”

Khadim Husain, a professor from the area, said the military’s presence had strengthened the militants rather than civilians from the areas. These militants gained strength during the MMA government in the NWFP. Maulana Fazlullah, a local leader of the militants, was freed in 2006 and is now in contact with other militants in Bajaur, Dara Adamkhel and South Waziristan.

On-spot executions, lashing, suicide bombings and school blasts have mostly taken place during the curfew, the academic corroborated the view. In some cases, he said, these militants were given safe passage and then the village was bombed, causing civilian casualties and resentment against the security forces.

“The militants are only using the name of religion in their struggle for power. They systematically isolate communities, target marginalised communities, set up a parallel judicial system and kill local (influential) people to create a vacuum, which they subsequently fill. It is simply a war for power struggle and should be treated as such,” he said.