Pakistan's new government signed a peace deal with pro-Taliban militants in a northwestern valley Wednesday, despite calls from the United States to clamp down on Islamist rebels.| They're the TNSM, the most inept "militants" in Pakistain. They were pretty much beaten until the gummint found an excuse to surrender to them. |
| Yep. They're gonna do that real soon now. Honest. |
The Pakistan army launched a major offensive in October to clear Swat of militants loyal to Maulana Fazlullah, a radical pro-Taliban cleric who led an uprising to enforce Sharia law in the valley.
US, NATO and Afghan officials have criticised previous peace deals in Pakistan, saying that they have led to an increase in suicide attacks on international and Afghan forces across the border in Afghanistan.
"The agreement was signed today between the government committee and representatives of local Taliban. We are very positive that this agreement will end violence and ensure lasting peace in the region," committee member and North West Frontier Province minister Wajid Ali Khan told AFP. "We have agreed on a gradual withdrawal of the troops as the situation improves. The Taliban will close down all training centres for suicide bombers and militant activities. They will not attack security forces," Khan said.
The militants had also agreed not to target girls' schools, music shops and barbers, all targets of the hardline militants who follow an interpretation of Islam echoing the 1996-2001 Taliban regime in Afghanistan, he said. "We have agreed to enforce the Sharia laws in the area," Khan added.
Officials said there was no agreement on the fate of Fazlullah, for whom the militants were demanding a general amnesty. The army has been hunting for him in the region's forests and mountains for months.
Afghanistan foreign ministry spokesman Sultan Ahmad Baheen criticised the the Swat agreement. "We believe any exclusive deal with the Taliban would result in worsening of the situation," Baheen told AFP. "We believe any sort of agreement with the terrorists would harm both countries."
US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte urged Pakistan on Tuesday to arrest a leading Taliban commander based in the tribal area of South Waziristan, with whom Islamabad is also negotiating. The commander, Baitullah Mehsud, has been accused by the CIA and the previous Pakistani government of masterminding the assassination in December of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto.
The new government, led by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, has pledged to completely overhaul Islamabad's counter-terrorism pursuit after defeating US-backed President Pervez Musharraf's political allies in February elections.
Negroponte said he would be encouraged to see Pakistan "operating effectively against some of these militant extremists, like for example bringing Baitullah Mehsud... capturing him and bringing him to justice, which is what should happen to him."