Pakistan: Swat Grand Jirga vows to maintain peace at all costs

International

The people of Swat on Saturday vowed to foil the nefarious designs of few elements who were bent upon creating chaos in Swat and Malakand division for their ulterior motives and vested interests. The civil administration of Malakand Division organised a Grand Jirga of Swat, Buner, Shangla, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Malakand and Bajaur districts, in which the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary along with Inspector General Frontier Corps (IGFC) North and IGP KP met with the elders, parliamentarians, local government representatives, civil society, teachers, students, notables, Ulema and government officials etc. Commissioner and regional police officer (RPO) Malakand and deputy commissioners and district police officers (DPOs) of all districts attended the Jirga. According to a statement released from the office of the deputy commissioner Swat, the Grand Jirga representing all segments of society at Wadoodia Hall, Saidu Sharif, discussed security situation in Swat and other districts of Malakand division, and the measures taken to ensure peace and stability.

The participants were informed that security and peace will be ensured at all costs, and no group or individual will be allowed to disturb the peace and socio-economic activities in the area. It was told that the security forces with the support of the brave people of Swat have come a long way in maintaining peace, for which soldiers, police officials and the people of Swat and Malakand division have embraced martyrdom. The participants said the blood of these martyrs will not go waste. They said that few elements who are bent to destabilise and create chaos in Swat and Malakand division for their ulterior motives and vested interests won’t be allowed to succeed. They said the writ of the state has been established and will remain so whatever the cost is.

The Jirga resolved that elements who want to disturb peace thrive on our inability to come together against them and feed on divisions amongst us.

“We have denied them these tactics earlier and we will deny them once again,” said the Jirga participants.

The Jirga resolved that people of Swat have given monumental sacrifices and fought as first line of defence along with law enforcement agencies to bring peace in the area. Rich tribute was paid to civil administration of Malakand division and its police, who carried out successful counter-terrorism operations along with army despite enormous challenges.

The grand Jirga while sharing their perspective reiterated their resolve to stand with the law enforcement agencies and defeat the designs of pressure groups to destabilise peace of Swat and Malakand division, and the province and country as a whole.__Daily Times