Share this story!            

Army to prolong stay in Swat for two years

* Rs 25 billion for more police stations, personnel and better weapons for local law enforcers
* Swat may be included in ‘settled areas’

By Iqbal Khattak

PESHAWAR: The NWFP government is planning to spend around Rs 25 billion on revamping the security infrastructure in Malakand division, and the army will remain deployed in Swat for two years to allow for the capacity building of local security forces, Daily Times learnt on Saturday.

“We are looking to invest Rs 24.6 billion in Malakand, doubling the number of police officers and police stations there, arming personnel with state-of-the-art weapons and communication systems,” officials responsible for the post-conflict needs assessment told Daily Times.

In his visit to Peshawar on June 19, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani announced a grant of Rs 20 billion to support the plan, which he said was part an “exit strategy” for the army.

An army exit can only come once the provincial government builds a civilian force or enhances the capabilities of existing paramilitary forces, such as the Levies force, to a level where they can reclaim their position as the primary law enforcement bodies in the area. This will be a gradual process, the officials said, requesting anonymity.

The NWFP government and the GHQ have agreed to maintain a military presence in Malakand for the two years the provincial government estimates it will take the local security infrastructure to become fully operational.

They said though the ANP government had agreed to have a Swat Cantonment, it was still unclear whether the army would build a brigade-level or division-level cantonment in Swat.

At least seven more police stations will be added to the current tally of nine and the strength of the police force in Swat will be doubled, they said. The increased personnel will also be equipped with modern weaponry, such as machineguns, hand and rocket-propelled grenades and communication systems.

Better governance: A reconstruction and rehabilitation plan for the conflict zones has already been presented, and in the plan’s third phase, the structure of local governance will be reviewed and changes proposed, the officials said. There is also talk of repealing Swat’s status as a provincially administered tribal area, with officials saying that Pakistan, as one country, should have a uniform system of government. However, a final decision on whether Swat will be included in the settled areas of NWFP is yet to be made.

Home | Main

Share this story!