Thousands protest increased violence in Pakistan’s Swat Valley

Residents take to the streets after a faculty bus driver was shot lifeless within the newest of a rising variety of violent incidents.

Residents participate in a protest a day after an assault on a faculty bus within the Swat Valley in Pakistan [AFP]

Islamabad, Pakistan – 1000's of individuals have rallied in Pakistan’s Swat Valley to protest towards rising insecurity following the killing of a neighborhood faculty bus driver who was shot by an unknown assailant on Monday.

Chanting slogans towards the growing variety of killings within the space, protesters took to the streets on Tuesday afternoon in Nishat Chowk, demanding that the federal government do extra to make sure the security of residents there.

Ahmed Shah, spokesperson for Swat Qaumi Jirga, a consultant physique of native residents, stated greater than 15,000 folks had attended the protest – the sixth prior to now two months.

“We held one protest final week however the one at this time is among the many largest demonstrations ever in Swat,” he informed Al Jazeera.

Fawad Khan, an activist with Swat Olasi Pasoon (Swat Individuals’s Motion), who was at Tuesday’s protest, informed Al Jazeera that there had been a transparent improve in violent incidents within the area.

“We're demanding the federal government management the terrorist components who're again and spreading terror right here,” he stated. “We should be given safety, which is our constitutional proper.”

Based on police officers, the newest incident of violence passed off in Mingora on Monday morning when the college bus driver was shot lifeless by a person driving a motorbike.

Hussain Ahmed, 33, was driving two younger college students, one among whom was wounded and brought to hospital earlier than being discharged.

That is in all probability largest ever protest within the historical past of Swat. [Via @khorasandiary] https://t.co/h2lM1VrKSopic.twitter.com/Wm3CyQ4bWf

— Iftikhar Firdous (@IftikharFirdous) October 11, 2022

Police officers informed Al Jazeera they've dominated out “terrorism” since this was a focused assault on a person, however they're persevering with to analyze. They added that there was no declare of duty for the assault to this point.

Monday’s assault got here a day after the tenth anniversary of the taking pictures of Malala Yousafzai by the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP or Pakistan Taliban) when she was a schoolgirl.

Mohsin Dawar, a member of Pakistan’s Nationwide Meeting, condemned the newest assault and stated this must be a wake-up name for the state.

Talking to Al Jazeera, Dawar stated that he has voiced issues in regards to the elevated presence of “militants” within the space since he joined parliament, however nothing has been achieved.

“Mainstream Pakistan maybe doesn't realise the severity of the state of affairs as a result of they aren't feeling the warmth but,” he stated. “If Pakistan’s political and army management doesn't sit collectively to resolve this menace, I worry that in coming days the state of affairs will likely be uncontrolled.”

TTP stronghold

The Human Rights Fee of Pakistan, a civil rights group, additionally issued an announcement on Monday saying that residents of Swat are justified in holding safety forces accountable.

“It was callous and short-sighted to have downplayed the risk from militants given residents’ rising protests and requires safety,” the assertion learn.

Final month, 5 folks – together with an influential anti-Taliban tribal chief – had been killed in a bomb blast in Swat’s Kot Katai village.

Swat, which is roughly 240km (150 miles) from the capital, Islamabad, was a significant TTP stronghold till 2009, when the Pakistani army drove the armed group’s fighters out.

The latest surge in violence comes as peace talks between Pakistan’s safety forces and the TTP have didn't yield any progress.