SWAT CONTROL GOES TO CIVIL AUTHORITIES

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Peshawar, Oct. 22: The Pakistan Army on Monday handed over the administrative control of the restive Swat district to the civil authorities, ending its decadelong military operation to flush out the Pakistani Taliban militants and restore peace in the home town of Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai.

The Army was first sent to the picturesque Swat district of the Khyber- Pakthunkhwa province in 2007 when a local cleric and chief of the Tehrik- e- Taliban Pakistan ( TTP) Maulana Fazlullah challenged the writ of the state and set up his Sharia courts.

Taliban later launched an organised movement and extended its network to the adjoining districts. They imposed several restrictions, including banning girls' education, making mandatory wearing of burqa for women and keeping beard for men, among others.

In 2009, the government launched a major military operation against the TTP, during a large number of people were forced to abandon their homes in Swat, Buner and other districts.

Malala, who shared the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize with Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, was shot at by Taliban in 2012 for advocating for girls' education, which was forbidden under the militants' rule over Swat. The 15year- old was flown to Britain for better treatment and further education. In March, she visited her home town for the first time after being shot at.

The Army handed over the symbol of authority to the Commissioner, Malakand Division and Regional Police Officer at a ceremony.