Swat militants extending influence

[Naveed Yaseen]

by Delawar Jan
PESHAWAR: Emboldened by their unchallenged activities in the troubled Swat valley, Maulana Fazlullah-led militants have started extending their sphere of influence and activities to the hitherto peaceful districts bordering the militancy-plagued valley, setting the alarm bells ringing for the already beleaguered NWFP government.

The militants, after succeeding in terrorising the people of Matta, Kabal and Khwazakhela into submission, unleashed shooting and beheading spree to the relatively calm district headquarters, Mingora, and established their writ partially.

In a couple of weeks, about 26 persons were either shot dead or slaughtered and their bodies hung from trees and pole at city squares, particularly the Grain-turned-Green Square. The unchecked militant activities left the people of the city petrified and dumbfounded.

“One cannot dare to talk even to one’s family members inside the house due to fear of militants’ reprisal,” a frightened resident said when asked to comment. “Walls have also ears,” he said, fearing to speak even being alone.

Tragically, the valley of gleeful people and best orators, to summarise fear from the militants, has turned into the abode of dumb people where no one would talk about militants. Let alone dwellers, government official, MPA and minister would not speak on the escalating militancy, as all dissenting voices are stifled then there. No right to expression at all, perhaps no right to live if one dares to disagree. Seeking anonymity is demand of the day.

Turning to the upper parts of Swat, the militants marched on Madyan. The valley’s Walibagh, the house of late Khan Abdul Wali Khan in Chakri where he would stay during summers, was blown up on Friday to punish the Awami National Party for the Swat operation.

They also appeared in Barikot, a militants-free tehsil of the valley, and checked vehicles on main Swat-Peshawar Road. A resident from Shalbandai told The News that the militants had erected blockade at Karakar Pass and checked vehicle, taking away all those hailing from Shalbandai.

A suicide bomber sent by the Swat militants mowed down 42 people at a polling station in Shalbandai on December 28 for shooting down six militants in August last year. They are bent upon extending their scope of operation to Buner, a bid robustly opposed by the people.

The militants have threatened more deadly attacks against the people for standing up to them, something that terrified the people after Shalbandai suicide blast. Little was done to protect and encourage the people of Buner, allowing militants to exert their writ to hitherto peaceful district.

In Batkhela, the agency headquarters of Malakand Agency, the militants have not only fixed fee for doctors but are also trying to entrench themselves. Owing to militants’ action, doctors reduced fee as suggested by the militants that would buoy up militants to impose their will on the people, as people cannot resist after dwindling writ of the government.

The town, a business hub of the Malakand division, was rocked with four bomb blasts on the night between Thursday and Friday, three of them near Levies Post. At times, they bomb audio and video shops in Batkhela, besides hurling threats at people through their FM Radio.

Taking cue from Batkhela militants, militants commander for Lower and Upper Dir, Hafizullah, who is closely associated with the Swat militants, issued a list of fee for doctors and warned of action in case their dictate was ignored.

Shangla is a district, which was overrun by the militants in 2007 and certain towns were occupied. Though their influence has tapered off, it has not completely ended in Shangla. The militants are attempting to get hold of all neighbouring districts-Buner, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Shangla and Malakand Agency. Before it is too late, the government needs to act to secure these districts from falling to Taliban.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=157932