|
Pak seals peace deal with militants - India opposes |
 |
Pakistan’s new Government has struck a peace deal with Islamic militants in the Swat Valley in the north-west of the country that Western officials worry, could take the Government military pressure off the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The deal covers Swat, a former tourist destination 150 km from the capital Islamabad, where followers of a fundamentalist cleric, Baitullah Mehsood, have been battling security forces for almost a year.
A senior Minister in the Government of NWFP province, Bashir Bilour, said the two sides sealed the 15-point plan on May 21 during talks in Peshawar. A spokesman for Baitullah Mehsud, Maulvi Omar said earlier on May19, , the release of Pakistan’s envoy to Afghanistan, Azizuddin was part of the deal between the two sides under which they will swap about 330 prisoners after signing the formal agreement.
Under the agreement, militants have agreed to recognize the Government’s authority, halt suicide and bomb attacks and hand over any foreign militants in the area. In return, the Government will release prisoners and make limited concessions on cleric Maulana Fazlullah’s demands for the imposition of Islamic law in the region, he said. Bilour also said the Army would gradually withdraw from the area – a key demand of the militants. Under the terms of the agreement, the Taliban are barred from displaying weapons in public and kidnapping security personnel and government employees. The agreement also states that the Taliban will close down their training camps in Swat and Malakand and obtain licences for opening FM radio station.
Most Taliban commanders in the north-western province operate their own illegal FM stations on which they broadcast sermons and directives for their followers.
The Government for its part has agreed to withdraw cases against militant leaders and arrested Taliban cadres will be freed within two weeks. The main base of the Taliban in the town of Imamdehri in Swat will be converted into an Islamic University to be run by a committee that will include Taliban representatives, government officials, ministers and Members of Parliament.
A committee will monitor the implementation of the agreement.
Both India and Afghanistan have expressed their reservations about Pakistan’s peace deal with Pak Taliban militants. After the release of Mohammed Naeem, an Indian held captive by Taliban in Afghanistan, India is making its displeasure felt and will tell Islamabad that it is totally opposed to deals made between Pakistan and elements of Taliban in Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on May19 while seeking “zero tolerance” for terrorism and terrorists.
Afghanistan has also expressed concern over the reported peace deal between Islamabad and extremist groups. “Talks with extremist groups would not benefit peace in Afghanistan and Pakistan”, said Afghanistan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta. Talking to newsmen in Kabul on May 19, he said such talks and peace deals in the past had negative impacts for both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The US is also worried over Pakistan’s refusal to comply with American wishes for stopping cross-border forays from within Pakistan’s territory by elements of the Al-Qaeda and Taliban into Afghanistan where the US-led NATO troops are trying to restore a semblance of order. The attacks launched from the tribal areas in Pakistan from where the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are operating, have increased in frequency and intensity during the last few months. The US is now being told by the Army Chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani, and other commanders that the Pakistan Army is not equipped to fight in the tribal areas and attack the bases from where the raids are being carried into Afghanistan. Essentially, the Generals are unwilling to take on the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban for America’s convenience.
Political observers say the refusal to strike at the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in the tribal areas and the peace deal with the extremists within Pakistan are clearly linked and upsetting the American plans. Observers say, what India needs to ponder is the probability that the recent violations of the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and incidents across the Samba border may be connected in a way to the Pakistan’s approach towards the Al-Qaeda, the Taliban in the NWFP and the extremists within Pakistan.
|
