The Pakistan Army’s decade-long fight against militancy has come to an end and has been followed up with massive development works in the area. This has started yielding positive results, as normalcy and peace have returned to South Waziristan Agency (SWA) which was once known as a bastion for militants.
The army succeeded in restoring peace in the restive South Waziristan after launching a major offensive against militants and their abettors. Once the area was cleared, developments works were launched to ensure durable peace in the area. The army established a number of institutions such as the Wana Cadet College, Cadet College Spinkai Raghzai and Army Public School in Shakai, besides building markets and cricket grounds at various places in the SWA.
A large number of people this year were seen going to famous visiting spots such as Masardeena and Margha Chena during Eidul Fitr, where they set up camps and stayed for two to three days.
Massive crowds consisting of elders, youths and children gathered at a beautiful Mani Kaka Square where Shakis did ‘attan’ for three consecutive days during the Eid.
“It is great that the much-needed peace has eventually been restored in the area and the people can be seen roaming freely from one place to another even at night without any fear,” Idress Khan Wazir, an elder from South Waziristan, told Pakistan Today.
He said that the military as well as the locals deserve all the praise for the hard-won peace, which once seemed a mere dream but has come true after countless sacrifices.
Rehmat Mehsud, a senior journalist from South Waziristan, was of the view that there has been a marked improvement in the situation in South Waziristan since the military operation and that repatriation of thousands of families has already been completed. As normalcy returns to the area, families which have had to start their lives from scratch are once again resuming their daily lives.
He said that the condition of the roads has considerably improved. Educational institutions such as army public schools, cadet colleges and government schools have become functional and other development works in the region are also underway. However, he added that the government needs to make sure that the children of the area go to schools in order to defeat militant tendencies in the long run.
“The government should a conduct survey to find out the actual state of children’s education in the region as many of them were forced to spend seven long years in exile without proper education facilities. The government needs to make arrangements to deal with the issue,” he added.
Noorul Amin, a PhD student in the Quaid-e-Azam University, who hails from South Waziristan praised the military for restoring peace in the conflict-ridden area and suggested to the government to develop the agriculture sector along with education to ensure lasting peace in the area.
He said that small dams should be built in the area and construction work on the Shakai Dam should be accelerated, as it would not only generate jobs opportunity but will make the area self-sufficient in food production.
Expressing his concern over the deforestation, he urged the government to take steps for preservation of forests in the area and said a ban should be imposed on the cutting of the trees.
Dr Hameed Ullah Wazir, a professor in Mansehra University, commended the military for setting up the first ever girls school in Shakai and said such steps will help increase literacy rate in the area, which at present, lags far behind than the rest of the country.
He also stressed the need for provision of transport and boarding facilities to girls, who are facing problems in reaching the schools as very few have become functional for now.
Dr Hameed said that the government should set up educational institutions, especially for girls who left their education midway due to non-availability of educational facilities in their hometowns.
He demanded of the government to set up a university in FATA so that the students who cannot bear educational expenses outside FATA may be provided higher education facilities at their doorsteps.
Bashir Khan, a student, said that the FATA area must be brought into the national mainstream, adding that the colonial system of administration needs to be changed and the fundamental rights and social services and facilities should be granted to the people.
Waheed Mehsud said that it is important to give top priority to education and that the deficiency of teachers must be addressed immediately. He said job opportunities should be created for youth of the area and that the potential of the mineral sector also needs to be explored.
Musa Khan Wazir, a social activist, said that the teachers’ attendance must be ensured in schools and colleges, as some of them remain absent from their posts for long periods of time without a valid reason.
Besides, he said there is a need to improve health facilities in the area, as people are still facing acute health problems.
Is not it a cosmetic show? How much time it will take to regain what the Waziristanis have lost in the hands of army and militants? I hope the writer would come without any fear to show the Pakistani and international viewers the actual picture of Waziristan. Are we not living garrison cordoned off by military everywhere?
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