Protesters stage huge peace rally in Swat

MINGORA: Hundreds of people staged a protest at Nishat Chowk in Mingora city on Tuesday against the rising militancy in Swat while the driver of the school van, who was killed in an attack a day earlier, was laid to rest.

The Swat Ulasi Pasoon had organised the protest, which was attended by hundreds of people from all walks of life. Holding white flags, the participants of the protest chanted slogans, demanding peace in Swat. Members of the civil society organisations, students, lawyers, workers of political parties and ordinary people attended the protest.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami, Aimal Wali Khan and Sardar Hussain Babak of Awami National Party, Mukhtiar Yousafzai of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Afrasiab Khattak of National Democratic Movement, Manzoor Pashteen of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and others addressed the gathering.

Speaking on the occasion, the speakers said that they would not allow anybody to disturb the peace in Swat Valley. They said they would not allow anybody to spill the blood of innocent people.

It was the responsibility of the state to provide protection to the people, they said, adding people wanted peace, not militancy or lawlessness. They said that the government should take action against the militants, who were entering the valley or else it would be considered the failure of state to check militancy and lawlessness.

Questioning the presence of militancy, they asked how the miscreants managed to sneak into the valley in the presence of security forces. Meanwhile, the protesters ended their sit-in against the killing of the van driver Hussain Ahmad and buried his body. They had staged the sit-in by blocking the Mingora-Khwazakhela Road to protest the killing of the driver and the attack on the school van in Gulibagh area in Swat. Two students had suffered injuries in the attack.

A team of government officials, led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Swat Suhail Khan, had held talks with the protesters, who later opened the road to traffic. The driver was killed and two students were injured when an unidentified person opened fire on a school van in the Gulibagh area of the Swat district on Monday. Suspected militants opened fire on the van which was carrying children to a private school. The driver identified as Hussain Ahmad, son of Inayatur Rahman, aged 32, was killed and two students were injured.