Military operation in Fata, Swat must be stopped: Jamaat-e-Islam

PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami would observe February 18 as ‘black day’ in Malakand Division to press the government to stop military operation in Swat and take practical steps for restoration of peace and enforcement of Shariah in the area.

Addressing a news conference here Friday, acting NWFP president of JI Shabbir Ahmad Khan said that due to the intensity in the operation in Swat, Bajaur and other tribal areas, an average over 30 people are being killed on daily basis.

He said that the operation was intensified after the meeting of NWFP cabinet, which demanded of the federal government and security forces to expedite the operation and make it more targetted.

Shabbir said that civilian casualties were increasing with each passing day in the military operation that has been going on for the past one and a half year. “And the most astonishing thing is that wherever the security forces carryout operation, the government loses its writ there,” he said, adding after military action the people are informed through media about the killing of miscreants in a large number. However, 95 percent of the casualties were civilians, he claimed.

He said severe military action was launched in Shmozai area of Swat some 10 days backs in which eight civilians were killed. The operation was so severe that the people could not burry their dear ones and the deceased persons were buried in Ramora locality of Lower Dir by the activists of Jamaat-i-Islami and Al-Khidmat Foundation, he maintained.

He said the provincial government had taken part in the general election on the slogan of peace and it inked some peace agreements soon after taking power.“We welcomed those agreements. But no single step could be taken for implementation of those accords despite lapse of one year,” he argued.

He said that the most sorrowful aspect of the entire situation was that the NWFP government had no solution or even planning for resolution of the issue. He said after intensification of the operation more than 5000 people were killed and many more injured. More than one million people have shifted to the down districts from restive Swat, Bajaur and Mohmand agencies and education system has paralysed, he said.

Shabbir was of the opinion if the provincial government maintained its present policy, it would result in serious repercussions. He said if the present situation persisted, the entire Pakhtun region would plunge into fire. He said the only way to extinguish the fire was that the prolonged military operation should be stopped, the internally displaced people should be rehabilitated and a compensation package should be announced for the affectees. The government should also accept the unanimous demand of all the people of Malakand Division and enforce Islamic system there, he said.

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