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Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information and Culture Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that the restoration of peace in Malakand Division particularly the Swat valley was the joint venture of the provincial government, people, politicians and security forces who made it possible after matchless sacrifices. He said that it was perhaps the first chance in the world history that we ensured the honourable return of more than 3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Malakand in a short span of 3 months.
These views he expressed while addressing as chief guest at a function held at a local hotel in Islamabad under the auspices of PDMA, PARSSA and USAID to celebrate the restoration of peace at Malakand on Monday.
The function beside others was also addressed by Director General PARSSA Shahzad Gul Bangash and Mission Director USAID and threw light on the role of their institutions regarding restoration of peace and rehabilitation process in Malakand. On this occasion, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Environment, Wajid Ali Khan, Commissioner Malakand Division and elite belonging to various schools of thought were also present.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain said when the present government came into being its started negotiations with the terrorists of Malakand for the sack of this land and its people inspite of opposition by the USA and other powerful circles.
But the terrorists, he said, considered the negotiations as weakness of the government and they consequently announced to enhance their activities to other parts of the country with the power of gun upon which the government had left with no option but to forcefully stop their terrorist activities. The Provincial Minister said that the ANP government in the province was blessings of the God and if there had been no people like us to offer sacrifices, perhaps there would have been government of terrorists, not only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but the whole country today.
Mian Iftikhar stressed upon the world community to strengthen their hands in the war against terrorism. He said that if our hands were not strengthened today, then the whole world would face its consequences and regret it tomorrow. He said that it was the good luck of the whole world wherein the ANP workers were there to offer every sacrifice for the cause of peace of the world.
He said that after defeating the terrorists in Malakand, the restoration of peace and reconstruction and rehabilitation in Malakand was a test case for the government in which with the grace of Almighty Allah and help of people, security forces, donor agencies like USA and NGOs, we have been successful. He added that the rehabilitation in Malakand Division was not an easy task but it became possible with the help of donor agencies, NGOs and philanthropists for which we are grateful to them, he added.
The Minister admitted that though the terrorism have not completely been smashed but it has been controlled to some extent as a result of severe steps of the government, adding that restoration of peace on permanent basis and crushing of terrorism was possible when Pakistan, USA and Afghanistan, all the three sit together by restore confidence on each other and end their misunderstandings.
He clarified that the individual negotiations could never become fruitful and the agenda for negotiations should be known and the negotiation team be independent and having power and even then if the negotiations are not become fruitful, all the three countries have to initiate forceful action against the terrorists without dividing them into the good and bad categories.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that after all if it was not ended likely then the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Govt: on its own would combat the terrorists to decrease their effects and would ensure the protection of this land and its inhabitants at all cost, he concluded.
For more information, contact:
Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Tel: 091 921 1789
Email: info@khyberpakhtunkhwa.gov.pk