In support : Army presence in Swat demanded

SWAT: Participants of a peace conference organised in Mingora by Islahi Committee Aman Tanzeem Malakand on Monday said army check posts should remain in Swat and peace should be restored. Addressing the gathering, the committee’s chairman Haji Muhammad Zubair said, “We will not let anyone sabotage the restoration of peace and the check posts will remain in place.” Lashing out at the Swat Qaumi Jirga which earlier opposed the construction of a cantonment in Swat and demanded civil administrative control, Zubair said the jirga’s members are not the “friends of peace and their conspiracies will not be allowed to take root.” Zubair urged the Swat Qaumi Jirga to refrain itself from spreading rumours against security forces. The conference’s participants vowed to stand by the security forces and police. They also urged the law-enforcers to take swift action against target killers in the valley.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2014.