Valiant tribals rise against militants

TRIBESMEN in Upper Dir have hit back at the militants who had made their lives miserable and were responsible for the suicide blast at a mosque on Friday last killing around 50 innocent people. Militants had been using different tactics to create terror among the poor populace and succeeded in extending their influence in Swat and Malakand but the blast in the Mosque infuriated the locals in Hayagay Sharqi, some 20 kilometres east of Dir Town, to rise up and avenge the killings.




After having been driven out of the main cities and towns of Malakand, the militants are on the run and desperate to find save havens in the far-flung and inaccessible mountainous areas of Malakand. They used the suicide bomber to terrorise the people of Hayagay Sharqi but unlike other areas, the locals drawing inspirations and strength from the ongoing operation of the security forces in the neighbouring areas decided to stand up and punish them which is a good omen as terrorism can only be defeated with the power of the people. Reports from the area say that a dozen of the militants including their two commanders have so far been killed and houses of their cahoots set ablaze. This is a healthy development indicating a shift in public opinion at a time when security forces need local backing to target the remnants of militants. These brave local people deserve support from the security forces and the Provincial Government as that would encourage tribesmen in other areas to rise to the occasion and tell these misguided people that they would not be tolerated in their midst. The threat of militants would remain in Malakand as the remnants would hide and there is a possibility that they would resurface once the Army is withdrawn. To check that and give a sense of security to the people, it would be appropriate that in addition to a strong police force, village level vigilance committees be formed to keep an eye on the activities of militants and support the law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace. At the same time the Government must stay true to its pledge of carrying the operation through to its logical conclusion i.e. purging Swat from militants and pursuing them to their main bases in the tribal belt.