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| NWFP govt accepts Swat Taliban demands |
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Friday, June 27, 2008
Rejects immediate Army pullout; check-points to be abolished; prisoners’ release soon
By Delawar Jan
PESHAWAR: The Swat Taliban brought the NWFP government to its knees after relentless attacks in the past four days, as the government agreed to do away with security check-points, release all the Taliban prisoners in a few days and ensure an early payment of compensation to the victims of military operations, but flatly refused to withdraw the Army forthwith.
The government held fresh talks with the Taliban in Peshawar to revive the ceasefire and save the peace accord aimed at restoring peace to the picturesque valley. NWFP Senior Minister Bashir Bilour, peace envoy to the chief minister Afrasiyab Khattak and Minister for Environment Wajid Ali Khan represented the government side. The spokesman for the Swat Taliban, Muslim Khan, Mehmood Khan and Ali Bakht led the Taliban.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Swat chapter, operating under the command of defiant cleric Maulana Fazlullah called off talks on June 17 over the alleged delay in the release of Taliban prisoners during a Shura meeting chaired by Fazlullah. Both sides had announced a ceasefire on May 9, when they met for the first time at the Fishing Hut, a government rest house situated on the bank of the Swat River in Chakdara.
In the third round of talks held on May 21 in Peshawar, they reached an agreement and formed a committee, but that made no headway to implement the peace deal. The negotiating sides on Thursday agreed to maintain the ceasefire and take steps to implement the deal. After talks, Bashir Bilour said a committee would meet in the next two days to identify security check-points to be abolished. About the prisoners’ release, the minister said they would try to release the prisoners on bail as soon as possible, but refused to give any deadline.
“It was the deadline which created the present impasse,” he said, referring to the 15-day deadline for the release of Taliban activists, which the government could not meet. Regarding the withdrawal of the Army from the militancy-plagued district, he said the Army would be withdrawn only after improvement in the situation. About compensation, he said the representatives of the Taliban and the government committee would meet to identify victims. “We will expedite the process,” he added.
To a query, Bilour admitted there had been a delay from the government side on the release of prisoners, which led to a misunderstanding, but he vowed not to repeat the mistake. He also ruled out any operation in Peshawar and other settled areas there.
Afrasiyab Khattak said operation in Peshawar was a provincial subject, therefore, NWFP would be taken into confidence before making any such decision. However, he said, “Action will be taken against miscreants.”
Claiming responsibility for attacks on the Army and police, Muslim Khan told a group of newsmen that the government had promised abolition of check-points, but their number increased instead and more troops had been deployed. “If the Army targets the Taliban on mountain tops, then we have the right to defend ourselves,” he said, denying any hand in torching of schools and other buildings in the ongoing violence. He warned further delay in the implementation of the accord could cause further bloodshed and even more severe destruction in the valley, “As third force is at work to sabotage the peace process.”
The Taliban representative refused to identify the “third force” but said the US and other foreign forces strongly opposed the peace deal in Swat. “The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has been operating from Swat to tribal areas and if the government has any intention to launch operation there, we will pull out of the deal,” he added, saying Rehman Malik should “think twice before he speaks.” “He has made statements against the deal and is trying to use force as he doesn’t release situation on the ground,” he added.
The Taliban representative also did not agree to the release of the prisoners on bail and said the government would have to release them without going through legal process. “If we are to release our prisoners on bail, then what is accord for? If we were to do it, we could have done it by giving fees to lawyers,” Muslim argued.
He also rejected reports that Taliban courts had been operating in Matta area, but admitted that they had been only reconciling the rival parties only on their requests. “If in other areas a group of people settles such disputes, they call it Jirga and when we do it they call it Taliban courts decisions,” he said.
In the four-day violence, two personnel of security forces, three Taliban, including two commanders and five civilians were killed besides injuries to 10 other security personnel. The PTDC Motel built at a cost of Rs200m, a nearby chairlift and a check-point were burnt besides bombing of 11 schools.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
