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PESHAWAR: As peace talks between the government and Pakistani Taliban move forward following the All Parties Conference, the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa government has in principle approved the gradual withdrawal of army from Malakand division.
In the initial stage, security forces will be withdrawn from Buner and Shangla districts in October.
An official communiqué issued from the CM House stated that KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak announced the withdrawal of army from Malakand division in Nowshera.
Khattak said that withdrawal of army from these two districts would be followed by a phase-wise withdrawal from Upper Dir, Lower Dir and Swat where ‘the writ of the government has been consolidated’.
Khattak said that the army was deployed in the Malakand division due to increasing activities of the Taliban in 2007.
The security forces had offered innumerable sacrifices to clear the area and restore peace and now ‘hundreds of displaced people are back’.
The chief minister said that the KP government wanted to resolve all issues through talks and it has been successful in maintaining the writ of the government.
The announcement of troops’ withdrawal has been viewed by many as a critical decision at a time when there is a likely truce between the outlawed Pakistani Taliban groups and the government.
The residents of Malakand have expressed their reservations time and again about the militants’ threat from across the border where the Fazlullah-led Taliban have safe heavens in Nuristan and Kunar provinces and launch attacks in Upper Dir, Lower Dir and in Bajaur Agency as well.
Army withdrawal from Malakand approved by KP govt - DAWN.COM
In the initial stage, security forces will be withdrawn from Buner and Shangla districts in October.
An official communiqué issued from the CM House stated that KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak announced the withdrawal of army from Malakand division in Nowshera.
Khattak said that withdrawal of army from these two districts would be followed by a phase-wise withdrawal from Upper Dir, Lower Dir and Swat where ‘the writ of the government has been consolidated’.
Khattak said that the army was deployed in the Malakand division due to increasing activities of the Taliban in 2007.
The security forces had offered innumerable sacrifices to clear the area and restore peace and now ‘hundreds of displaced people are back’.
The chief minister said that the KP government wanted to resolve all issues through talks and it has been successful in maintaining the writ of the government.
The announcement of troops’ withdrawal has been viewed by many as a critical decision at a time when there is a likely truce between the outlawed Pakistani Taliban groups and the government.
The residents of Malakand have expressed their reservations time and again about the militants’ threat from across the border where the Fazlullah-led Taliban have safe heavens in Nuristan and Kunar provinces and launch attacks in Upper Dir, Lower Dir and in Bajaur Agency as well.
Army withdrawal from Malakand approved by KP govt - DAWN.COM