Victory for Swat

While fears of militancy continue, there are signs that most militants have left the scenic valley

The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)’s armed militants who spread across some parts of the Swat valley region have retreated, latest reports suggest. Observers see this as a great victory for the people of Swat who raised their voice and took to the streets to enforce their demand that they were not willing to tolerate the rise of armed militancy that ruined their lives a decade ago.

Militants reappeared in Swat months after Taliban’s takeover of power in Afghanistan last year and subsequent reports of peace talks being held by Pakistani authorities with the TTP. According to official estimates, around 250 to 300 armed militants of Swat Taliban were spotted in the hilly terrains of Matta, Peochar, Kalala, Bala Sar, Chuparyal, Saland, Manglawar, Binjot, Salanda, Malam Jabba and some other areas about three months back.

Fear spread in Swat following some shooting incidents in the area during the last couple of months. But instead of shutting themselves off in their homes or heading to the refugee camps as they had done in the past, people took to the streets in Mingora, Matta, Charbagh, Manglawar, Malam Jabba and Khwazakhela.

The local leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which rules the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province where Swat is located, also came out in solidarity with the masses, leading protests in various parts of the region.

Official sources and intelligence intercepts Bol News has access to confirm that the militants, mostly locals, who came back following peace brokered by the Afghan Taliban, were allowed to return to their native areas on the condition that they will accept the writ of the state and give up arms.

But soon afterwards videos showing militants patrolling the streets and taking police officials hostage went viral on social media and were later reported on some foreign radio networks and websites.

Sources have confirmed that a key wanted militant commander, Naeem Khaksar of Bama Khela, was leading the militants in Matta, Taliban commander Hussain was active in Charbagh, and one militant commander nicknamed Malang was operating undercover in Mingora. Latest mobile intercepts show that all of them crossed into Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province around 18 October.

When protests first broke out in Swat, KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan was late in reacting. But during his visit to Gabeen Jaba in Swat last Friday, he gave a very clear message that there will be “no compromise on the writ of the government, and those who challenge it will be taken to task.” He also called on intending tourists to come and enjoy Swat’s tourism season, laying to rest rumours that Taliban were set to take over the region yet again.

While the militant threat to Swat valley may indeed have receded, political war mongering between the PTI and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance continues, casting a shadow on the Swat situation.

Last Friday, Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif chose to talk about the Swat situation for the first time in a media interaction, and tried to suggest that it continued to be bad. “Swat district is facing a 2009- like threat, which is a likely result of the failed peace talks with Taliban,” he said. KP chief minister Mehmood Khan responded that Asif was trying to deprive KP of its tourism potential, given that more than 2.5 million tourists visited Swat every year, thereby adding Rs 66 billion to the provincial treasury.

Swat locals were annoyed when some audio leaks by the militants on the social media claimed that  “militants were allowed to carry arms and patrol the streets in Swat as well as the tribal districts merged into KP, and they would be ultimately the unrivalled rulers of both the Malakand division, where Swat is located, and former FATA region.”

Officials say, however, that the only understanding they had with the militant groups was to allow them to return to their homes, lay down their arms and live peacefully until a proper peace accord was finalised for their long-term integration into the society.

But as it happened, the TTP claimed several attacks in Swat, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and some other areas of KP, which prompted a reaction from Pakistani authorities and the peace talks were halted. Then followed events that were picked up by the media, such as the reported target-killing of a van driver in Guli Bagh area which the police later said was actually a case of honour killing.

Later, the media reported TTP phone calls and letters to government officials and businessmen, demanding extortion money. One such letter was reportedly sent to KP Sports Minister, Atif Khan. But the TTP spokesman, Mohammad Khorasani, denied it, terming the letter fake.

A day before the chief minister’s visit to Swat on Friday, his advisor on media, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, appealed to Taliban to withdraw their armed militants from the region. The TTP spokesman responded positively, and in a letter issued soon afterwards said the TTP was ready for talks and hoping to continue the process on a positive note.

Muhammad Ali Saif, who is also a member of the team holding talks with TTP,  told Bol News that “there is no compromising the writ of the government. I have appealed to the TTP leaders for the withdrawal of armed fighters, to which they responded positively.”

He said talks with TTP were continuing with the help of the Afghan Taliban, and the aim was to not only bring about lasting peace to the region, but also enable local citizens to return to their homes after reforming themselves so that they are accepted by their society.