Chief of the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) Pakistan in Swat, Mullah Fazlullah, returned to Imam Dheri Markaz -- a madrassa that was previously used by him as his headquarters -- on Friday after staying away from the place for two years. Fazlullah addressed those who had gathered there for Friday prayers, after Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi chief Sufi Muhammad delivered the Friday sermon. Fazlullah said his group had taken up arms for the enforcement of sharia, but "we have now lay down our weapons with our goal achieved". He said the Taliban had 'utmost faith' in Sufi Muhammad.
He told the gathering that NATO forces could not stay in Afghanistan if their supplies were cut off through the Torkham route.
Referring to recently established qazi courts in Swat, Fazlullah said the TTP wanted qazis to make decisions in light of the holy Quran and Sunnah.
He claimed that the people of Swat had 'voiced their support' for the implementation of sharia, but around 240 of them had also lost their lives in the process. The TTP chief said he was not sure if he would return to his former headquarters again. "Life and death are in the hands of Allah," he said, adding that the movement for the implementation of shariat would continue even if he died.
Separately, the Malakand commissioner said all 'unnecessary' checkposts had been removed from the district.