Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: An FIR has been lodged at the Khwazakhela police station against protesters who had sought removal of security checkposts in Swat.

A copy of the FIR available with Daily Times shows that seven people have been charged with terrorism for protesting on Sunday.

Dozens of protestors had gathered in the capital of Swat and protested against the harassment faced on check posts set up by security forces.

The names of Izhar, Hussain Shah, Latef khan, Bacha Gul, Emal Khan, Ahmad Shah and Ghairat Khan were included in the FIR, which also mentioned that these men led a protest in the valley and convinced others to stand against the security forces.

Talking to Daily Times, one of the suspect, Ghairat Khan, a student of law in Lahore, said, “We can’t bear more humiliation in the valley as according to the security forces, peace has been restored in the area then why are a dozen check posts still remain where we are harassed? It’s our basic human right to surface our voices against violation of human rights in the area. We are not against the state but only demand a humane behavior from the security forces and the district administration.”

After a suicide attack on the army camp in Swat last month, in which 13 personnel of the security forces lost their lives, security has been tightened in the area to avoid any further attacks.

In 2009, the army conducted the strongest offensive to date against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in Swat valley, afterwards the army claimed that peace had been restored in the area.

A Swat-based journalist, wishing not to be named, told Daily Times that people were facing a lot of problems after the suicide attack. Lots of people have to wait in queues at check posts for hours every day, he said. These include students, daily wagers and office employees who have to face unnecesary inconvience due to delays at checkposts.

Published in Daily Times, February 20^th 2018.