Afghanistan, Aug. 15 -- A jirga in Pakistan's Swat district has rejected any new military operation against militants in the area and called on the government to take immediate steps to restore lasting peace across the Malakand division.
The jirga was held on Thursday, Dawn reported on Friday, August 14, 2026, saying participants demanded that the government remove militants from the Malakand division within one month. They warned that failure to establish lasting peace would prompt them to launch protests and march toward Islamabad.
The participants said communities in Swat and the wider Malakand division have endured militancy, military operations, natural disasters and floods since 2007, causing serious damage to the local economy. The...