Swat militants announce 10-day ceasefire

[Naveed Yaseen]

Declaration to implement Nizam-e-Adl Regulation signed; crucial meeting in Peshawar today

By Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: The Swat militants declared a 10-day unilateral ceasefire in the valley on Sunday, as NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti is set to announce implementation of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in Malakand Division after talks with Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad.

A delegation of the provincial government comprising NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Livestock Minister Hidayatullah and Awami National Party’s central information secretary Zahid Khan met the founding chief of TNSM and signed the declaration for the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in seven districts of Malakand Division.

During the talks, the two sides reached an understanding over the implementation of the regulation, creating high hopes for peace in militancy-hit Swat Valley. Soon after the successful talks between the NWFP government and Sufi Muhammad, Swat militants led by his son-in-law Maulana Fazlullah, announced a 10-day unilateral ceasefire in the valley.

However, spokesman for the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Swat chapter Muslim Khan warned that they would respond if attacked by the security forces. The success of talks between TNSM and the government and subsequent announcement of ceasefire heightened hopes of peace in Swat, where people were euphoric after the new development. There was also a wave of happiness across Dir.

“We will accept the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation approved by Sufi Muhammad and will certainly stop our armed struggle for the enforcement of Shariah because it has been our demand. We are not mischief-mongers,” he added.

“We have not signed any agreement today but the declaration of tomorrowís (Monday) meeting in which the chief minister will announce the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation. We have only signed a document which said that a judicial system based on the Holy Quran, Hadith, Qias and Ijma will be established and all un-Islamic laws and practices will be scraped,” Amir Izzat, spokesman for TNSM, told The News.

He said the move would pave the way for bringing an end to militancy in Swat Valley. Izzat claimed that all the dissenting points had been resolved. The NWFP government has convened a meeting of the provincial cabinet, all elected representatives from Malakand region and all parliamentary leaders in the NWFP Assembly for today (Monday) to take them into confidence.

The TNSM delegation comprising Amir Izzat, deputy chief of the organisation, Maulana Alam and Mustan Mir would also attend the meeting scheduled to be held at the Chief Minister’s House.

Also, the provincial presidents and general secretaries of all the political parties have been invited to the meeting to take them into confidence about the step taken by the government for bringing peace to the valley. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has reportedly boycotted the meeting.

The TNSM activists led by Sufi Muhammad would go to Swat Valley after the announcement of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation and convince Fazlullah and his fighters to renounce militancy. Sufi Muhammad is expected to hold public gatherings in Matta tehsil, the hotbed of militants in the valley. Izzat hoped that Fazlullah would agree to stop fighting “if he is fighting for Shariah implementation.”

The News has learnt that all the Ma’avin Qazis have been done away with in the new Nizam-e-Adl Regulation. The Darul Quza will be the appellate court in Malakand Division. An official source said that the apex court and high court power in Malakand has been axed and people would have no right to appeal against the decision of the Darul Quza. Three languages — English, Urdu and Pashto — would be used in courts. The courts would dispose of criminal and civil cases within four and six months, respectively.

Official sources said that judges failing to dispose of case in the stipulated time would get adverse remarks on their Annual Confidential Report (ACR) while parties and lawyers would be fined in case of dilly-dallying. Sufi Muhammad has demanded only the Islamisation of judicial system. He was released from jail on April 21, last year under six-point agreement to which he has adhered to so far.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=20348