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ShareISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities and a religious hardline group are holding talks on the option of announcing a general amnesty for the Taliban in the Swat valley in exchange for the militants laying down arms.
The Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah Muhammadi, a religious hardline group that had earlier negotiated a peace deal in Swat, is seeking the release of 200 Taliban prisoners and is willing to issue a religious edict with top clerics asking for the disarmament of the militants, The News daily reported on Sunday.
The TNSM and the North West Frontier Province government are holding negotiations to ensure the success of the peace deal and the smooth implementation of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation, which envisages of Shariah law in Swat.
The details of the edict are also being finalised for disarming the Taliban, the report said. The NWFP government has made it clear that it has done its bit to restore peace in Swat and it is now the turn of TNSM chief Sufi Muhammad to deliver his end of the bargain.
A source involved in the discussions said the draft of the edict is being prepared to the satisfaction of both sides. Once agreed, it will be signed by four to five TNSM scholars, including Sufi Muhammad.
The edict will demand that the Taliban lay down their arms, respect the rule of law and help the government in maintaining its writ in Swat and Malakand division.
Once the religious edict is issued, the source said, the Taliban are expected to lay down arms before a Qazi in front of the media. This would follow the voluntary disarming of Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah's militia.
The Taliban have demanded the release of 200 prisoners arrested during military operations. Sufi Muhammad, who has issued some irresponsible statements recently, has been asked to show restraint and avoid making remarks that might derail the peace process.
Meanwhile, The News also quoted its sources as saying that two brigades of the Pakistan Army or 8,000 soldiers were moved to Swat to deal with militants advancing towards other districts like Buner in violation of a peace accord.
However, military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas denied that troops had been sent to Swat. "There is no army troops movement into Swat valley. We have no such plan at the movement," he said.
Sources told the newspaper that an operation had been planned to eliminate the top leadership of the militants and destroy their hideouts. The local population would be asked to leave the areas to allow the security forces to use effective force against militants and avoid civilian casualties.
The sources said continued violations of the peace accord by militants and their "expansionist designs" forced the military to send reinforcements to Swat.
The militants had crossed "all limits" by operating private courts and carrying out kidnappings and armed patrolling, sources said.
In a related development, the NWFP government has reportedly removed Syed Muhammad Javed, the commissioner of Malakand division, which includes Swat, for his perceived "soft" attitude towards the Taliban and militant commanders.
Javed has been replaced by Fazal Khattak, who had earlier served as commissioner of the area.
