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Govt, Swat Taliban sign peace deal

* Taliban prisoners to be freed in two weeks, militants to relinquish control of Imam Dheri
* Army says it will not oppose peace deal

By Daud Khattak

PESHAWAR: The NWFP government inked a 15-point peace accord with Swat-based militants on Wednesday. Under the agreement, the government will release Taliban prisoners in the coming two weeks while the Taliban will relinquish control of Imam Dheri, headquarters of Mullah Fazlullah, where an Islamic university will be set up.

The agreement says the army’s withdrawal from Swat will be gradual and based on the security situation. Militants will not carry out suicide and terrorist attacks on security forces and civilians and military, private or public installations. Private militias will not be allowed.

Women will not be required to wear veils and there will be no restriction on their education. Neither Fazlullah nor any other group or individual will be allowed to run FM radio in Swat without licence, and all non-locals involved in violence in the valley would be handed over to the government. A nine-member committee will ensure the deal is implemented.

Senior NWFP Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour read out the deal to the reporters. Asked if Fazlullah would be given amnesty, he said: “That will be discussed later.”

Taliban representative Ali Bakht told reporters that there were around 200 Taliban under detention who would be released in two weeks.

Army: Geo News reported ISPR spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas as saying that the army would not oppose the peace deal.

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