MINGORA, Sept 6: Operation commander, Swat, Maj.-Gen. Ghulam Qamar has said that Pakistan Army repulsed 17 major attacks of militants from across Afghan border since February this year, saying 260 attackers were killed while 40 security personnel lost lives in these attacks. He said this during a press briefing at headquarters of 19 Division in Khwazakhela, Swat Valley, on Thursday. ISPR spokesman Col Arif and other military officers were also present on the occasion.

The commander said that since February this year 105 fire exchanges occurred in which 260 militants and 40 soldiers were killed. However, the security forces successfully thwarted these attacks. He said that people of Dir had fought shoulder to shoulder with the army to stop infiltration of militants into the region. He praised performance of Dir police, saying several attempts of sabotage were thwarted by them.

He said that the army was fighting the war against terrorism for last 11 years, adding it was war of the whole nation, which should stand united to win this war. He said that there was exemplary peace in Swat and now development work had been initiated to recover the affected economy of the region and restore confidence of tourists to visit Swat valley without any fear.

The commander said that security forces had foiled attempts of five militant groups to infiltrate into Swat and carry out terrorist activities in last six months. He said that 104 terrorists, including suspected suicide bombers, had been arrested and huge quantity of weapons, including suicide jackets, explosives and light and heavy weapons, seized in raids in different localities.

Maj.-Gen. Qamar said that development work was underway in the area. He said that the government had allocated funds for construction of Fatehpur-Kalam road. He said that work on 20 small link bridges in Dir had also been launched.

He said that tourism industry of Swat had started picking up and 100,000 domestic tourists visited the valley on second and third day of Eidul Fitr. He said that Twenty-20 matches had been scheduled at grassy ground of Saidu Sharif in first week of October, in which apart from provinces the teams from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan would also participate.

The commander said that national cricket stars, including Shahid Afridi, Abdul Qadir, Omar Gul and Waseem Akram, would also take part in the tournament. He said that a golf competition would be held in Kabal in the last week of October. He said that work on a five-star hotel would also be started next year.