President tasks Fazl to hold talks with Swat Taliban

[LahoreEstate]

* Zardari says force being used as last option
* Vows to establish writ of state, protect women’s rights

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani tasked ally Fazlur Rehman to aid talks between the government and the Swat Taliban during a meeting on Tuesday.

“Force is being used as a last option,” a private TV channel quoted President Asif Ali Zardari as saying.

According to the channel, the leaders discussed national and regional security and “other important matters” in the meeting at the President’s House that also included Interior Adviser Rehman Malik.

Another news channel said Fazl, the chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, had denied he was assigned such a task but said he would play his part in the peace efforts if he was given the responsibility.

A brief official press release said the participants “exchanged views on current political and regional situation in the country”, without elaborating.

Online news agency said Zardari promised to establish the writ of the state in Swat and said his government would protect the rights of women and children.

Citing unidentified sources privy to the meeting, the news agency said the president underscored the importance of women’s education in Islam and said the Taliban would not be allowed to impose their extremist views on the population of the restive valley.

Later, Zardari met the federal cabinet at the President’s House. The meeting was followed by a dinner.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg1_12