SWAT: The local leaders of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl here on Monday said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was solely responsible for unrest in Swat.

They were addressing a public meeting at Nishat Chowk here against the recent unrest in Swat. JUI-F district head Maulana Fatahtullah, spokesman Dr Amjad, Maulana Hujatullah, Syed Qamar, Qari Mehmood and others addressed the public meeting. A large number of the party workers participated in the event.

The speakers said that the poor policies of the provincial government and failed negotiations with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan were main causes of unrest in Swat as well as in the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The provincial government has lost its competence. Not only the law and order situation has been disrupted but the entire governance system is in bad shape,” they said.

The speakers said that PTI former minister Murad Saeed was protesting in Islamabad for the peace of Swat. “If he and his party workers have the guts, they should come out for peace in their native region. Not only Swat but the entire province is in turmoil,” they said. They added that people should be taken into confidence about negotiations with TTP.

“We have always raised our voice for the establishment of peace in Swat but the PTI leaders are misleading people by giving a political colour to our voice for peace,” they said.

About the recently held official jirga, the speakers said that the district administration must make public what had happened in the jirga. “Jirgas are open for everyone but the official jirga was held in a closed-door hall,” they added.

After the public meeting, the JUI-F leaders and activists marched to Green Chowk. Holding banners and placards, they chanted slogans for restoration of peace in Swat.

Meanwhile, Malakand Commissioner Shaukat Ali Yousafzai said on Monday that unrest was acceptable neither to people nor the institutions in the district.

He expressed these views while addressing elders in Chupriyal area of Matta tehsil. Regional Police Officer Zeeshan Asghar, Col Tallat Kamal, District Police Officer Zahid Nawaz Marwat and Additional Deputy Commissioner Sohail Ahmed were also present on the occasion.

The commissioner said that peace was restored in Swat after the sacrifices of the people, police and army. He said that concrete measures were taken by the institutions and the people of Swat would be taken into confidence about the results.

He said that jirgas would be held at tehsil level on law and order situation in Swat. “Anti-peace elements will be given a befitting reply. Attempts to spread anarchy will also be thwarted. The peaceful atmosphere of Swat will be maintained,” he said.

The official said that that such a situation would never arise in Swat to force people to leave their homes once again. He said that the residents of Swat were peace-loving people.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2022