NWFP: CM visits Mingora on morale boosting trip

[Naveed Yaseen]

Gives Rs20,000 to each patient at Saidu Teaching Hospital

Thursday, June 11, 2009
Daud Khattak

PESHAWAR: In an apparent move to restore confidence of the displaced Swatis in the ongoing action against militants, NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haidar Hoti paid an unannounced visit to Mingora, headquarters of the volatile Swat district, on Wednesday.

Accompanied by his cabinet members from Swat, provincial information minister and some top provincial officials, the chief minister visited Mingora and Saidu police stations to encourage the police personnel who continued performing their duty despite odd circumstances in the city.

On this occasion, the chief minister ordered promotion of the police jawans and officers who stayed in the district discounting threats to their lives. The chief minister also directed that name of the Green Chowk, also known by the city dwellers as Khooni (bloody) square, should be renamed as Shuhada Chowk.

The Green Chowk, located in the centre of Mingora city, witnessed the killing of several officials and civilians to spread terror among the inhabitants of the area. There was time when Mingora residents had stopped their school-going children from passing through the square lest they see the bodies hanged from posts or placed on the road.

Hoti also visited the Saidu Teaching Hospital and met the patients under-treatment and inquired after their health. He also discussed with doctors their problems and assured their solution. On this occasion, the chief minister gave cash amount of Rs20,000 to each patient. The chief minister, his cabinet members and the officials accompanying him, visited the markets in Mingora and Saidu Sharif.

Curfew is still in place in Mingora and most of the markets have been deserted as majority of the people have left the city while those who stayed back, have restricted themselves to their houses.

During a meeting at the office of the deputy inspector general (DIG) police, the chief minister and his delegation was briefed by Commissioner of Malakand Division on the security situation in the valley. Earlier, the chief minister also visited the site of the deadly blast that rocked the city of Peshawar on Tuesday’s night.

Meanwhile, briefing journalists about the visit of the chief minister to Mingora and the situation, Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the city of Mingora had been purged of militants and all the government employees should report for duty there.

Mian Iftikhar said government employees in Swat should report to the District Coordination Officer (DCO) of Swat for duty immediately.

Regarding the bombing at the Pearl Continental Hotel, the minister said such tactics would not intimidate the government. He asked the masses to support the government in its efforts to root out militancy and terrorism from the society and the country.

The minister confirmed the killing of nine people and injuries to 62 in the massive blast inside the lone five-star hotel. He said investigations had been ordered into the incident to uncover how the terrorists managed to go inside and detonate explosive-packed truck there.

Without ruling out more such incidents in future, the minister said the hotel bombing was a reaction of the ongoing operation against militants in Swat. He said more such attacks were feared.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=182462