Sirajuddin Published October 11, 2022 Updated 4 minutes ago
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A large number of people took to the streets against the recent developments of terrorism in Swat. — Photo by Fazal Khaliq
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Protesters demanding the arrest of culprits behind the recent attack on a school van in Swat’s Charbagh tehsil and the restoration of peace in the region warned on Tuesday of marching to Islamabad if authorities failed to meet their demands within 24 hours.
The
attack on Monday, which left the van driver dead and two students injured, was the latest in a series of incidents of violence that have gripped the valley in recent days, prompting citizens to
take to the streets against the rising tide of insurgency.
According to Rescue 1122 officials, the van was taking students to a school in Gulibagh area of the Charbagh tehsil when unidentified assailants, riding on a motorcycle, had opened fire. The driver was killed on the spot, while two students were moved to the hospital after sustaining injuries.
Editorial: Militancy redux
Locals have blamed the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan for the attack, but the group has denied responsibility. Any other organisation has also not claimed responsibility so far.
Meanwhile, protests that erupted following the incident on Monday continued for the second consecutive day today.
Huge numbers of people took to the streets on Tuesday against the recent developments of terrorism in Swat. — Photo by Fazal Khaliq
A sit-in was staged on the main Kalam-Swat road, with protesters refusing to bury the school van’s driver until their demands were met, the
Dawn.com correspondent reported.
Consequently, the artery remained blocked for traffic.
Abdul Hamid, a resident of Swat who was participating in the sit-in, said, “We spent the entire night under the open sky, continuing the protest.” He reiterated the call for taking the perpetrators of the attack to task and ensuring peace in the region.
Protesters told
Dawn.com that the district administration held talks with them but no conclusion was reached.
“The government is not taking the issue seriously,” complained Haider Ali, a social activist who was among the protesters at the Kalam-Swat road. “The AC (assistant commissioner) and SP (superintendent of police) both came for talks, but we think neither of them have any power.”
Ali said that at the very least the Malakand commissioner needed to visit the protesters and assure them of the fulfilment of their demands.
“We have now given 24 hours to the government to meet our demands or else, we will march to Islamabad,” he warned.
He also outlined the protesters’ demands, saying that the van driver’s killers should be arrested and perpetrators unmasked while the government should take measures to control the “growing militant activities” in the district.
Later in the day, the family members and villagers buried the body of the slain school van driver after successful talks with the administration.
Mingora city, too, echoed with slogans of “no more terrorism and we demand peace from the state” as hundreds of people took to the streets demanding justice.
The protest, which was organised by the Swat Olasi Pasoon, was attended by thousands of people, including civil society members, students, teachers, lawyers, doctors, transporters, and the youth.
Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, who was also in attendance, said that every citizen of Pakistan had the constitutional right to a “safe life protected by the state”.
“But unluckily, despite having a huge budget for the defense, the state has completely failed to ensure peace.”
PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen said that it was ironic that in the presence of the security forces Taliban managed to enter Swat, and once again, target killings and fake encounters were being carried out.
“The people of Swat have already witnessed bloodshed. Children have seen their fathers’ dead bodies. The people of Swat were disgraced on check posts earlier in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The people of Swat were displaced, and their properties were destroyed and ruthlessly killed,” he said, adding that peace returned in 2009 and till 2022, durable peace prevailed.
“It is questionable that in a wink of an eye the situation turned into chaos where despite the presence of a large number of security forces, Taliban entered and started sabotaging peace,” he added.
While the sit-ins continued, private schools in several parts of Swat remained closed in an expression of protest.
The Private School Management Association (PSMA) had announced that they would keep schools in the district closed on Tuesday and participate in a civil society protest at Nishat Chowk.
People across Swat took to the streets on Tuesday against the recent rise in militant attacks in the region. — Photo by Fazal Khaliq
According to PSMA Executive Secretary Nisar Ahmed, around 1,200 schools remained closed in Swat on Tuesday.
It was also reported that students and teachers walked out of classes, calling for peace in the region.
“People are angry,” school principal Ahmad Shah told
AFP on Monday, when 2,000 teachers and students walked out of classes in protest. “Students from all the private schools came out to protest,” he added.
Monday’s incident has brought back memories of the attack on Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai on October 9, 2012, who survived a gun attack by the TTP gunmen nearly a decade ago.
Her father, Ziauddin, condemned Monday’s incident, calling it “tragic and alarming” on Twitter.
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