This is the question of the day whether there is a need for another military operation in Swat against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has reared its ugly head in the valley and surrounding areas in the recent months.
The people of Swat have rendered countless sacrifices during the war on terror launched in the area in the past and again, they are bracing for the imminent threat of militants, who have made their presence felt in the recent past by carrying out some saboteur activities including kidnapping and killing people.
The present government of various alliances has kept a mysterious silence on the issue.
A few days ago, when a school van was targeted by unknown assailants, the people of Swat took to the streets in drove brandishing flags in their hands, demanding peace and arresting those responsible for the attack on the school van, which resulted in the death of the driver and injuries to two children. The van was targeted in Gulibagh village in Swat.
The Main Kalam Swat Road remained closed for over 40 hours after the protesters staged a sit-in.
There have been protest demonstrations against the terrorists in Mengura, Matta and Kabal tehsils of Swat with a large number of youths and their parents being in the forefront.
Swat residents said that terrorists belonging to banned outfits were behind the attack, although no terrorist group has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
In this regard, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said in a policy statement in the National Assembly that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government was responsible for maintaining the law-and-order situation in the province. “Armed forces have rendered countless sacrifices to establish peace in the country,” the minister said.
He recommended holding a debate in the house on the law-and-order situation of K-P. The current security situation in Swat is a clear indication that the K-P government is failing to manage the state of affairs.
After the huge protest demonstration in Swat, terrorists have also kept silence and may be working on a new strategy to strike again.
This silence on part of terrorists may also be linked to the declaration of the Afghan Taliban that they will not allow their land to be used against Pakistan.
Earlier, some people were calling the return of militants “social media rumours” but the latest terror incidents indicate that the militants have returned to the valley and its surrounding areas. In the midst of terror attacks, the demand for a military operation is again gaining momentum.
Currently, no ceasefire agreement is in place between the Pakistani government and the banned TTP, which has started targeting security forces in Waziristan, Swat and other areas bordering Afghanistan.
Not a day passes without the security forces coming under attack by the TTP men.
Four to five thousand TTP men were released from jails after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, and key TTP men including Maulvi Faqir Mohammad came out and hid in the neighbouring country. Earlier, the TTP had split into several factions but it united again under the leadership of Mufti Noor Wali.
In August, a police DSP and an army officer were injured and detained by militants in Swat, before their release was secured as a result of intense negotiations. The injured DSP was brought from Swat to Rawalpindi for treatment after he was released by the militants.
Muhammad Ali, a close relative of the injured DSP, said that “all our relatives in Pirbaba Swat have started fearing for their life after the incident”. He said that people were being forced to migrate due to fear of attackers. “The frequent incidents have raised security concerns,” he said adding that the incidents have also taken a colossal toll on the tourism sector in Swat with hotels and restaurants presenting a deserted look.
After the terror incidents, businesses in Swat have almost come to a standstill.
Locals say that they have come a long way to restore peace in Swat. They say that owing to the poor governance of the provincial government, Swat is again falling into chaos. Although there is no trace of the presence of an organised terrorist group, the recent spate of violent activities has raised questions about the priorities and competence of the K-P government.
Earlier, the army successfully evicted terrorists in former FATA and Swat. Pashtun parties raised hues and cries demanding the abolition of military check posts in various areas of erstwhile FATA and KPK. These military check posts had been set up solely for security purposes. The abolition of the military check posts has provided a safe passage for militants to sneak in while nationalist parties continue to defame the army which restored peace in the area in 2018.
It seems that the K-P government has other priorities than maintaining the security situation in the province.
It is completely absurd on part of PTI officials to hold the state responsible for the security of schools and other installations. It is the responsibility of the civilian government to provide security to the people. It should also be noted that K-P Chief Minister Mehmood Khan has not yet visited the areas affected by the recent terrorist attacks.
To deal with the situation, the K-P government should play its major role by utilizing all resources including the police and counter-terrorism department.
Overall, the current situation in Swat and K-P is not as bad as political parties, especially the PTI propagates.
If necessary, a military operation can be carried out again in Swat. Timely security measures should be taken in close coordination with the army. A military operation can easily bring the security situation under control if needed. The army has always been successful in wiping out terrorist groups from troubled areas. Successful military operations in the past have helped restore peace in these troubled areas. The Pakistan Army successfully eliminated terrorists from Swat during operation Rah Haq in 2007 and Operation Rah Rast in 2009.
Later, the army handed over these flashpoints to civilian administrations after the completion of clear, hold and build phases.
