Making demands: Swat’s elders seek civilian administrative control

Unanimous declaration calls for security forces to focus on law and order only.

MINGORA: Swat’s elders have asked security forces to hand over the district’s administrative responsibilities to the civil administration and focus on maintaining law and order instead.

The demand was made in a declaration announced on Thursday at the end of the Swat Qaumi Conference organised by the Swat Qaumi Jirga. A large number of elders, political parties’ workers and civil society members unanimously approved of the demands made in the declaration.



“All civil administrative responsibilities must be handed to the district administration which should be empowered completely in running the district affairs. Law-enforcement agencies must concentrate on security issues,” stated the declaration.

It maintained that the people of Swat want peace and equal rights for all citizens according to the Constitution. “Living with honour and respect is the constitutional right of all Swatis.”

“We strongly condemn extremism, terrorism, sectarianism and any anti-state activities on our land. The restoration of peace and stability in the country is the duty of state institutions so the rulers must eliminate terrorism,” the declaration passed at the conference added.

It also condemned the increasing instances of target killings in Swat and criticised law-enforcement agencies for failing to arrest any of the culprits. “This is the complete failure of all state institutions, we demand they provide safety to all citizens of Swat,” it stated.

Participants of the conference also objected to the construction of an army cantonment in the district, saying the people were not consulted in the matter. The declaration appealed to the prime minister and chief of army staff to revoke the decision.

Through the decree, elders demanded that the residents’ legal weapons which have been confiscated by the security forces be given back to them, check posts be manned by police and Frontier Corps officials only and civilians be allowed to stop night patrolling in Kabal tehsil because it is the duty of law-enforcement agencies.

Several local elders and politicians attended the conference including ANP leader and former provincial minister Wajid Ali Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2014.