Swat people happy with anti-Taliban banners appearing in towns

[Naveed Yaseen]

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: The display of anti-Taliban banners by unknown persons in various areas of Kabal was the topic of discussion in Swat on Monday and majority of people hailed the move as a sign of an end to the Taliban era.

Kabal residents said on Sunday that they saw anti-Taliban banners calling leader of the Swat militants Maulana Fazlullah a “shameless” person. “Where is the shameless Fazlullah?” was the slogan inscribed on one of the banners. One can infer from the writing on the banner that those having displayed the banners were criticising the Taliban leader for going underground.

Other slogans included, “Taliban’s friend is the nation’s foe,” and “The Taliban movement is virtually the movement of oppressors.”

“Taliban network has been dismantled and their leaders killed or arrested. The supply of money and arms and ammunition to the militants has been stopped and now they are hiding,” PPP-Sherpao Swat President Sher Shah Khan said when asked to comment on the display of anti-Taliban banners.

People said the display of banners had proved the militants had been eliminated from the valley, an impression that would prove a shot in the arm for the government to win the confidence of the Swat people.

At one stage, the distrust between the people and security forces had alienated the people of Swat.

“The militants have been routed and order restored in Swat, and today people feel secure,” said the former nazim of Koza Bandai Union Council Sher Khan. The display of banners in their strongholds left no doubt that Taliban had now become history, he said.

Who has displayed these banners? People in Swat believed the military might have done that. However, Sher Khan said the people would also take such measures to prove that Taliban had no place in the valley.

Restoring peace and arresting and killing some of the top Taliban commanders in a massive military operation launched in May this year, the security forces are yet to track down the most wanted Fazlullah.

Some of his key lieutenants have also managed to remain at large even after six and a half months of the offensive, aimed at driving the militants out of Swat and capturing the top leadership.

The federal ministers and government authorities have stated several times that the Taliban chief in Swat had lost his one or both legs during the operation, but this claim could not be confirmed from independent sources.

“Previously, Taliban were throwing away bodies of people but today their corpses are being plunked,” a resident of Mingora said on condition of anonymity.

A member of Global Peace Council, Ibarahim Dewlai, brother of slain Taliban leader Ali Bakht, said the display of banners was the final nail in Taliban’s coffin.

The residents said it would help remove fear of Taliban from the hearts of people and bury the myth about their power. “In an area where Taliban would behead people for uttering a word of dissent, the display of banners is people’s victory,” Muhammad Yar of Kanju remarked. He said people were now doing their routine work without any fear.

The militants have been unable to launch any attack during the last 75 days, a tremendous success in an area from where several incidents of violence were reported daily.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=208982