Pak army will remain in Swat region: Kayani

Kayani made the remarks while addressing the earth-breaking ceremony for a bridge near Barikot in Swat, a district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Youths affected by the militancy and found involved in militant activities of a petty nature will be sent back to their homes as they have been trained at a rehabilitation institute and will prove to be good citizens in the days to come, Kayani said.

The army chief individually met the youths trained at the institute run by Pakistan Army for the "mental rehabilitation" of persons affected by the Taliban insurgency in Swat.

He expressed the confidence that 46 students who had been trained in different trades at the Rastoon Institute will become good citizens and the bread-winners of their families.

These youths will be provided assistance in obtaining jobs and given a "fair chance" if they wish to join the army or paramilitary forces, he said.

Kayani also visited a "de-radicalisation and emancipation programme" being run by the army.

This facility too is helping in the rehabilitation of youths affected by the militancy. The army chief also interacted with local residents and said the army will continue to contribute to the development and rehabilitation of Swat.

The federal government deployed the army in Swat last year to crush an insurgency led by Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah.

Troops killed hundreds of rebels and arrested many more during the campaign.