ISLAMABAD / MINGORA, Sept 21: The army made it clear on Saturday that it would maintain its presence in Swat to prevent security gains from unravelling.

“The army will continue to play its role in rebuilding the area and assisting the civil administration in maintenance of law and order,” Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said in an address to officers at the Divisional Headquarters in Swat, where he had gone to pay his respects to former division commander Maj Gen Sanaullah Khan, who died in a terrorist attack last week. Lt Col Tauseef Ahmed and Lance Naik Irfanullah also lost their lives in the attack.

The comments came against the backdrop of a controversy over the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s decision to start withdrawing troops from Malakand division next month.

The orders were suspended by the Peshawar High Court, anticipating legal complications of the withdrawal in the absence of any legislation.

The attack highlighted the precarious security situation in the area, although the provincial government had ordered troop withdrawal on the premise that its writ in the area had been consolidated.

The army is sceptical about the administration’s capacity to take over responsibilities from the military in case of its withdrawal.

The army’s withdrawal is, moreover, a major demand of the groups with which the government intends to initiate dialogue for ending militancy.

Gen Kayani recalled the success of the military operation in dislodging terrorists and the role played by the army in rebuilding the area, particularly after floods in 2010.

“He praised them (troops) for their post-operation role in settlement of internally displaced people back in their hometowns, rehabilitation of infrastructure and capacity building of the civil administration, including training of police,” the ISPR said in a statement.