The recent increase in targeted attacks in Swat have raised alarm among the Pakistani nation as it fears that Swat may be going back to its reign of terror era.
Earlier today, armed men opened fire on the school van in Swat’s Char Bagh which killed the driver and injured a student. The suspect was targeting the driver of the school van who was killed, adding that 10-11 students were present inside the van at the time of the shooting. A search operation is being carried out in the area.
One child, sitting in front with the driver, was injured in the attack. Fortunately, the child is out of danger. However, the relatives of the van driver staged a protest, demanding steps to restore peace in the region.
Read more: KP Police say Swat under control amid reports of TTP comeback
Netizens on Twitter are echoing the sentiments of the driver’s family as Swat is witnessing an increase in targeted attacks after it was reported that militants have returned to the valley.
In another separate incident recently, three students were injured when their school van was ‘caught in a crossfire’ as two armed groups clashed.
Anger over Swat terror attacks
While the incidents are being reported as a case of personal enmity, the nation is raising concerns over the deteriorating peace situation in Swat, over two months after the militants returned.
“The attack on a school van in Swat should serve as a wake up all for the state that appears to be losing its writ in Swat once again. The people of Swat have been protesting against terrorism but their voices are being ignored. Pashtuns are being thrown to the wolves again,” MNA Mohsin Dawar tweeted.
The attack on a school van in Swat should serve as a wake up call for the state that appears to be losing its writ in Swat once again. The people of Swat have been protesting against terrorism but their voices are being ignored. Pashtuns are being thrown to the wolves again.
— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) October 10, 2022
Ziauddin Yousafzai, the father of Malala Yousafzai who was shot by a Taliban gunman in an assassination attempt in 2012, called the incident “tragic and alarming”.
Read more: Reports claim militants returning to Swat
Tragic and alarming:
The driver was killed and 2 students injured when gunmen fired at a school van at Khwazakhela #Swat.
The president of Private Schools Association Swab Khan says, “this is the responsibility of the state ”to protect our children.
https://t.co/bbKXJTdbAt— Ziauddin Yousafzai (@ZiauddinY) October 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/aamenaah/status/1579363373636259841?s=20&t=X0x0HDxd2hi7rdEPE4Z6Vw
A school van attacked in #Swat. The same Swat where there are multiple checkpoints of Army & Police, even the locals can’t cross it without being checked several times. These kids hadn’t criticized army/Talib still being attacked by the militants.#SwatRejectsMilitancy
— Tufail Dawar (@TufailDaur2) October 10, 2022
Swat is witnessing an increase in terror attacks once again. Two weeks ago, Two districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were rocked by blasts within a span of a few hours targeting a police station in Kohat and a former peace committee head and police officials in Swat. Six persons, including a former Aman Committee head and two policemen, were killed. As a result of the attacks, residents of Swat are holding anti-terror attacks while warning that they might take up arms to tackle terrorists if the authorities failed to play their due role.