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Army relocating in South Waziristan
Spinkai (South Waziristan)—”Pakistan Army is not
withdrawing from Waziristan rather it is relocating its positions to
facilitate the displaced civilians to return to their homes”. This
was stated by Major General Athar Abbas during a detailed briefing
to foreign and local media personnel, who were taken on a tour of
the area by ISPR.
Earlier, the media teams at Dera Ismael Khan were briefed by Major
General Tariq Khan, GOC 14 Div, on Operation Zalzala carried out by
the army to clear South Waziristan of miscreants and restore law and
order.
The General reiterated that Pakistan Army was operating in
accordance with the Government’s policy and would now ensure the
return of the civilian population.
The GOC provided details of the Army operation after the brutal act
of Baitullah Mahsood who razed the Sararogha Fort and slaughtered
some FC personnel on January l6, 2008.
He said the operation was carried out in three phases and areas of
Spinkai, Kotkai and beyond Kotkai were respectively cleaned up of
the miscreants in four days.
Replying to a question, the General responded that not a single
civilian casualty took place since leaflets were distributed in the
area for civilians to vacate, who moved out and nearly 200,000
civilians are located in different camps. Those remaining were
miscreants, who chose to fight and have either been killed or
retreated from the area.
He said that the Army was constructing roads, providing electricity
and food and ensuring other facilities of the life to the people of
South Waziristan to bring them into national mainstream.
In order to reduce the influence of Talibanisation,3 FM Channels
have been set up to provide wholesome and meaningful programmes, he
informed the media personnel.
In response to a question whether the miscreants would not return to
the area once they are relocated, the GOC stated that the Army would
keep monitoring the area, carry out patrolling to ensure the
miscreants do not return.
He said the return of the civillians was taken up with the help of
the Maliks and Tribal elders to ensure their safe and permanent
return, adding, local “Aman” committees and village based defence
set ups were being formed for the complete restoration of the peace.
The GOC informed that 52 children, who were trained to be suicide
bombers, were recovered and have been handed over to an NGO “Save
the Children” for better upkeep and enabling them to return to
normal lives.
Later the media team was taken to Spinkai near Jandolla and briefed
by Brigadier Ali Abbas. The medai personnel were shown two
factories, where suicide bomber’s jackets and other explosive
devices were produced by the miscreants. Locations of bunkers,
dugouts, terrorist training camps and ammunition dumps were also
shown, which have now been destroyed by the Army.
Some displaced persons from Tank, Sarrarogha, Spinkai and Jandola
were also introduced to the media teams. Nawabzada Siddiq Khan of
Tank, while taling to APP said that the people of the area welcome
the government and the Army and were not in support of the
miscreants but were forced to obey them. Most of the displaced
persons opined that they were keen to return to their homes and
informed the media persons that the cases of terrorism have reduced
considerably since the Army Operation.—APP
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