Pakistan Views

Government and the militants on Friday agreed on a ceasefire in Swat, hours after a policeman was killed in an attack on a security convoy in the area, officials said.The truce was reached in a meeting between the government of North-Western Frontier Province (NWFP), which is lead by liberal Awami National Party (ANP), and the representatives of Maulana Fazlullah in Chakdara area of the district.Wajid Ali Khan, a provincial minister, who attended the meeting together with two other senior ministers, confirmed to Deutsche Presse-Agenture dpa that the accord had been reached with the militants.”It was our first direct contact with Taliban, a confidence building measure. We have agreed on a ceasefire. We are meeting again within a week,” the minister said. Fazlullah’s spokesman, Muslim Khan, who also participated in the parleys, told dpa that; “it was an effort for restoring peace in the region. We have agreed on ceasefire.”Under the agreement, the militants ensured that they would observe the ceasefire and halt attacks on the state property, troops and girls’ schools. The government in return assured not to arrest any of Fazlullah’s followers or pound their hideouts.The agreement came hours after the suspected militants ambushed a security convoy in Swat district, leaving one policeman killed. Security forces were searching and cordoning off an area in Kabal when they were fired upon, the army said in a statement.One police officer and three paramilitary soldiers were injured in the ambush, it said. Violence swept through Swat late last year when the military launched an offensive against Fazlullah, whose men took control of key towns in the district and enforced self-defined Mohammedan laws. The peace process was halted on April 28 when a spokesman of the militant umbrella organisation - Tehrik Taliban Pakistan - announced it would suspend negotiations with the authorities.

Swat police on Wednesday frustrated a subversive act when local bomb disposal squad defused two bombs wrapped in plastic bags close to the building of Government High School Fazalabad here at Dawali village in Teshil Kabal, police said.
On receiving information, the Bomb Disposal Squad rushed to the Government High School building and defused it after getting the school building vacated
SHO Sanobar Khan told reporters that weight of the bombs was five-kilogram.
Police have started investigation.

Several suspects including extremist leader have been arrested during search operation of security forces in Char Bagh area of Swat.
According to DIG Malakand range Syed Akhter Ali Shah, search operation is underway in Char Bagh area during which extremist leader Bashir Ahmad was arrested and huge cache of weapons and explosives were recovered from his possession.
Sources said that Bashir Ahmad wanted in several cases including alleged killing of policemen and attack at Char Bagh police check post.
Meanwhile, curfew has been relaxed from 6 a.m. to 8p.m. in Swat.

Security forces arrested at least 70 suspected militants in search operation here on Wednesday. Sources told that the security forces nabbing 70 militants shifted them to an unknown place during a search operation at Charbagh district in Swat. Small weapons were also recovered from the persons arrested, sources said. Few days ago, 90 militants had voluntarily handed themselves over to the government by laying down arms. ISPR said that Swat curfew would remain relaxed from 6.00 A.M. to 8.00 P.M. in the evening.

Some unknown persons have blown up the telephone exchange near here with some explosive device, while 10 suspected persons were arrested during the raids in Tehsil Kabal.
Sources said that some unknown persons blew up Allahabad telephone exchange near here, leaving thousands of telephone lines dead. Police sources said that 8 allegedly suspected militants were after arrest shifted to unknown place in raids at Brah Bandai area of Tehsil Kabal, while the two alleged militants handed themselves over to the security forces along with their weapons. Curfew break from 6.00 A.M. to 10.00 P.M. has been announced in the district here.

Security forces early morning conducted a search and cordon operation in Kabbal, Tutane Bande, Manje and Davlai in Swat district. According to a press release here, 20 militants have been apprehended during the search operation. A large quantity of arms and ammunition including rifles, pistols, shotguns and rounds of different caliber were also recovered.
Two bags filled with 70 Kgs of explosives along with a time device were taken into custody by security forces in Aligarama which was later destroyed. No loss or damage occurred.

Seven members of one family were killed when two shells destroyed their house during a battle between army troops and militants in the troubled Swat region, an official said on Saturday.

It was not clear if the shells that caused the civilian casualties overnight on Friday were fired by the army or the rebels in Kabal district.

“The dead included three girls, their parents, grandfather and an uncle,” a local official said.

The military launched a major offensive in the Swat valley in November, looking to drive out followers of Maulana Fazlullah, a cleric who has been looking to establish Sharia law in the region.