Govt includes media gag in North Waziristan accord

PESHAWAR: The government has attempted to maintain secrecy on the peace accord it signed with the Utmanzai tribes in North Waziristan by incorporating a clause declaring that sharing the agreement’s contents with the media violates the terms laid down in the document. In a copy of the agreement made available to Daily Times, Al Qaeda-linked militants have been allowed to live in North Waziristan as long as they pledge to remain peaceful. However, a basic demand of the accord is that all foreigners leave the area. The agreement, inked between the government and the Utmanzai tribes on February 17 to fight Taliban-linked militancy through support from the local population, states that no parallel government of suspected Taliban militants would be tolerated. The Utmanzai tribes have also agreed that there would be no attacks on security personnel or government employees and no target killings would be initiated. However, suspected Taliban militants continue to blow up CD shops in Miranshah and target killings have continued despite the February 17 peace deal. Under the peace accord, any violator would have to pay a fine of Rs 50 million. Sharing contents of the accord with the media has also been interpreted as violation of the accord. iqbal khattak

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