Saturday, January 24, 2009
Delawar Jan
PESHAWAR: It may come as a great surprise for many to learn that the Swat militants, who have been bombing girls and boys schools indiscriminately, are so pained by the reported shifting of the Saidu Medical College from Mingora to Mardan that they are ready to kill and be killed to stop the move.
Those who dared touch a single machinery of the college with the intention of shifting it would not find a safe place even in their own homes. We will kill them inside their homes wherever they are as we cant tolerate shifting the college from here, spokesman for Swat militants, Muslim Khan, told The News by phone from an undisclosed location in the valley.
Though he often talks in a tough manner, Muslim Khans tone grew terribly harsh while talking about the alleged shifting of the college. Asked as to why they were so perturbed over the reported shifting of the medical college when they were against education and bombing schools, he refused to give reasons behind this decision. Let the college be shifted, then we will tell why, he said in a threatening tone. One thing is for sure that we will not spare those who will shift the college.
Muslim Khan was not alone to warn of action to save the medical college but the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Swat chapters deputy chief and presenter of the FM Radio also hurled threats directly at NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti. Ameer Haider! You will face serious consequences if the college was shifted to Mardan, he warned on his FM radio a couple of days ago, locals said.
The reason to hurl threat at chief minister is obvious as he is the administrative head of the province and hails from Mardan district where the college is allegedly being shifted. Opposition to the relocation of the college doesnt mean that the militants are repenting the destruction of schools as Shah Dauran renewed their threat in these words, All the schools in Swat valley will be destroyed as they are being used by the security forces as their camps and did not remain centres of learning anymore.
Locals said the deputy leader of the militants also asked the Pesco and health officials to carry out their duty efficiently, warning of strict action if the call was not heeded.The decision of the militants with regard to the college is astounding in the wake of their known opposition to education, as they had banned girls education in the valley from January 15. They have already torched or bombed 181 schools across the valley.
It was unclear as to who had said that the medical college would be shifted from the militancy-hit Swat valley but the militants have been claiming for the last few days that the government intends to relocate the college.
This correspondent tried to talk to NWFP Health Minister Zahir Ali Shah to confirm the reported shifting of the college. Though contact was established, he was unwilling to talk and switched off the cellular phone. Many subsequent attempts to call him could not succeed.
When contacted, Provincial Minister for Environment Wajid Ali Khan said the college was not being shifted to any other city. Medical college in Mardan is being constructed, while Abbottabad and other regions also have medical colleges, he said.
However, he added, the college could be closed because of escalating violence in the valley as parents were worried about the safety of their children. They (militants) should stop violence so that students attain education without fear, he advised.
Militants vow do or die battle
