Security
Pakistan: Pro-Taliban militants upbeat about peace talks
Mingora, 21 May (AKI/DAWN) - Pro-Taliban militants in Pakistan's north-western Swat valley were hopeful of a breakthrough in negotiations with the Pakistani government on Wednesday.
Muslim Khan, the spokesman for the Swat chapter of the Tehrik-i-Taliban group and a close aide of radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah, said the third round of talks with the government, to be held on Wednesday, would be decisive.
The spokesman who is also leading the Taliban team at the talks told reporters on Tuesday that he was certain there would be a breakthrough in the talks to be held in Peshawar.
Muslim Khan said that the local Taliban and the government were sincere about about reaching an understanding. He said the Taliban wanted peace in Swat, other parts of the North West Frontier Province and in the tribal region.
He said that many of the issues had been resolved and only minor differences needed to be addressed.
Khan said visitors were welcome in the scenic valley, once a popular tourist destination, and “they are free to come here but they should respect the Islamic value and tradition”.
“Nobody would be allowed to promote obscenity and vulgarity in the region," he said.
The NWFP government and the Taliban had agreed in the two rounds of talks held so far — the first held in Dir, earlier this month and the second in Peshawar — to observe a ceasefire until the third round of talks.
The government has accepted the Taliban militants’ demand for enforcement of the Nizam-i-Adl Regulation (Islamic judicial system regulation) in the Malakand region, including Swat, within a month.
The Taliban has presented seven demands to the provincial government — enforcement of Sharia of Islamic law in Swat, the withdrawal of troops from the area, release of prisoners captured during the insurgency and the payment of compensation to affected families.
Violence swept through Swat late last year when the military launched an offensive against Fazlullah, whose men took control of key towns in the district and enforced Islamic laws.
Hundreds of people were killed in fighting that continued for several weeks between militants and government troops.
Muslim Khan, the spokesman for the Swat chapter of the Tehrik-i-Taliban group and a close aide of radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah, said the third round of talks with the government, to be held on Wednesday, would be decisive.
The spokesman who is also leading the Taliban team at the talks told reporters on Tuesday that he was certain there would be a breakthrough in the talks to be held in Peshawar.
Muslim Khan said that the local Taliban and the government were sincere about about reaching an understanding. He said the Taliban wanted peace in Swat, other parts of the North West Frontier Province and in the tribal region.
He said that many of the issues had been resolved and only minor differences needed to be addressed.
Khan said visitors were welcome in the scenic valley, once a popular tourist destination, and “they are free to come here but they should respect the Islamic value and tradition”.
“Nobody would be allowed to promote obscenity and vulgarity in the region," he said.
The NWFP government and the Taliban had agreed in the two rounds of talks held so far — the first held in Dir, earlier this month and the second in Peshawar — to observe a ceasefire until the third round of talks.
The government has accepted the Taliban militants’ demand for enforcement of the Nizam-i-Adl Regulation (Islamic judicial system regulation) in the Malakand region, including Swat, within a month.
The Taliban has presented seven demands to the provincial government — enforcement of Sharia of Islamic law in Swat, the withdrawal of troops from the area, release of prisoners captured during the insurgency and the payment of compensation to affected families.
Violence swept through Swat late last year when the military launched an offensive against Fazlullah, whose men took control of key towns in the district and enforced Islamic laws.
Hundreds of people were killed in fighting that continued for several weeks between militants and government troops.
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