 Pakistani government in the country's northwest is set to free a top militant leader shortly after over six years in detention in a reconciliation process with the militants, a government spokesman said Monday. Maulana Sufi Muhammad is the founder of 'Tehreek-e- Nafaz-e- Shariat-e-Mohammadi' (TSNM), a Pakistani organization which aims to strictly enforce Shariat in the country, was arrested in late 2001 after he was returning from Afghanistan.
Sufi Muhammad had crossed into Afghanistan along with hundreds of his supporters to help Taliban in fight against the Americans and foreign forces.
The TSNM, who had been operating in the North-West Frontier province, was banned by President Pervez Musharraf.
Sufi Mohammad encouraged and organized thousands of people to fight against the western powers invading Afghanistan at the time of the downfall of the Taliban in 2001. Most of his Mujahideen were killed or arrested by the Northern Alliance, and only a few were able to return to Pakistan, including Sufi Mohammad.
| Worked well, didn't it ... |
Maulana Fazlullah, son in law of Sufi Mohammad is now leading the TNSM and had been engaged in fierce battle with the security forces in Swat valley in the northwest.
| "I'm comin' for ya, Pops!" |
Sufi Muhammad is in prison but under treatment in a Peshawar hospital and a government leader said that talks have been held between the government officials and members of TSNM. "The release of Sufi Muhammad will help in containing violence," Zahid Khan, information secretary of the ruling Awami National Party in the northwest said.
| How, exactly? Is he reforming? Did he renounce violence? Did he convert to Christianity? |
Khan said that the release of Sufi Muhammad is the first step and talks are underway with the militants to free other people as part of the reconciliation process. |