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| India-Pakistan |
| Locals see 'ruthless operation' as only Swat solution |
| 2009-05-01 |
| As armed Taliban continue robbing government departments and private property at random and without fear, residents of Swat believe that a 'ruthless' military operation is the only solution to the problem. "The best approach in this situation is a complete and ruthless military operation," residents of Mingora city told Daily Times on Thursday. Swat district is drifting towards complete anarchy as Taliban are ransacking government and private property and abducting police personnel. The local population does not rule out a fresh military operation against armed groups. Law-enforcement agencies are vacating police stations as conditions worsen. "For the last few days, over a dozen policemen have been kidnapped, some from police stations and others from their residences," said a police official in Mingora, asking not to be named. Cops vacated the Kalam police station and the Taliban occupied the building, local residents said by phone. "We are worried about our security," they added. At the Population Welfare Department in Saidu Sharif, Taliban took away all office furniture and other items, including medicine. It was the second attack on the office in as many days, an official of the department told Daily Times. "There is absolutely no writ of the state," he added. "We are at the mercy of these armed groups who have every authority to do anything they want." The local population's anxiety grew with veteran nationalist Pakhtun leader Afzal Khan Lala's departure from Swat generating rumours that the last symbol of resistance to the Taliban had also 'surrendered'. But the man himself denied that he left Swat because of security threats, adding he was going for a medical check-up. Growing feeling of insecurity among local population and robbing and kidnapping incidents prompted a flag march by the army troops in Mingora city on Thursday and they searched vehicles and people, witnesses said. Finding the soldiers on the streets brought some hope for the extremely worried residents of Mingora. "Watching troops on the streets gives us a new hope," said one resident. All eyes were set on the sky as jet fighters and reconnaissance planes hovered over the city on Thursday. However, these planes disappeared minutes later. |
| Posted by:Fred |