All set to transfer powers to civil admin in Swat

PESHAWAR/MINGORA: All is set to transfer administrative powers in Swat district from military to the civil administration after about 10 years within a week time.

The sources said that the administration had completed all arrangements for the transfer of powers. They added that it transfer of powers would take place in an extended and impressive ceremony on Sunday or Monday.

However, they added that the final decision on the date for such a ceremony would depend on the availability of the Chef Minister Mahmood Khan. The sources confirmed that all administrative powers would be handed over to the civil administration, but initially, one Brigade of Army would stay back in Swat to assist the civil administration in time of contingency.

A high-ranking officer of the district administration confided to The News that they have worked out a plan for the powers handing-over to the civil administration and the chief minister and Army officers would attend the ceremony to mark the significance of the occasion.

The military was deployed in Swat in 2007 at the request of the provincial government to act in aid of the civil administration against the local Taliban militants. On October 24, over 3,000 troops were sent to Swat to confront Taliban militants, who were massing in the valley, particularly Swat district in a bid to impose their version of Sharia law in the region.

The military on October 27 launched operation Rah-e-Haq to take over control of the Swat district. The militants in November seized control of the region which prompted the military to launch the offence with full vigour.

The security forces concentrated on Imam Dehri, the native village of Maulana Fazlullah, leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its surrounding areas. After suffering colossal losses, the militants in Swat vacated all seized public properties and government buildings and went underground.

The security forces cleared Imam Dehri and police resumed normal duty in some areas after the successful operation against the militants that continued late in 2009.