India-Pakistan | |
TNSM suspends talks with govt | |
2009-04-28 | |
* Spokesman says Dir operation must stop, but peace deal intact * Taliban occupy govt buildings in Swat, set up checkposts The Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-Muhammadi has suspended talks with the NWFP government to protest against the military action in Dir, spokesman Amir Izzat Khan told Daily Times in Mingora city on Monday. He did not say when the talks would resume. "We, however, still adhere to the February deal," he told AFP, referring to the accord that sought a Taliban disarmament in return for the imposition of sharia law in Malakand division. "We will not hold any talks until the operation ends." "The agreements with the Pakistan government are worthless because Pakistani rulers are acting to please Americans," Muslim Khan, spokesman for Taliban in Swat valley said.
The situation in Swat meanwhile drifted towards chaos as Taliban set up checkposts, occupied government buildings and kidnapped a policeman, local residents told Daily Times. They robbed and ransacked the office of Belgium-based humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders in Saidu Sharif, officials said. Heavily-armed Taliban were patrolling streets in Qambar area, close to Mingora city, and checking incoming and outgoing passengers. Separately, Online reported that Taliban took control of the telephone exchange in Bahrain town of Swat. Around 20 or 25 Taliban men stormed the building and seized the exchange, a private TV channel reported. Taliban have also set up a checkpost in Bahrain. They had earlier taken over the houses of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid provincial president Engineer Ameer Muqam, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Saranjam Khan and Pir Syed Hussain Shah Gillani's bungalow. Muslim Khan told Online the Taliban would not lay down weapons until the establishment of Darul Qaza, an appeals court which is part of the new Nizam-e-Adl Regulation. In an interview with a private TV channel, he said Taliban were present in Buner district and would remain there. "We have not disobeyed the Swat peace deal," he said, adding that the Nizam-e-Adl would be "a role model for the whole world." | |
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India-Pakistan |
PML-N asks Sufi Muhammad to disarm Taliban |
2009-04-27 |
PML-N Secretary General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has said his party had backed the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in Swat for peace and it is the responsibility of Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-Muhammadi chief Sufi Muhammad to disarm Taliban, a private TV channel reported on Sunday. According to the channel, Jhagra told reporters after a party meeting in Peshawar that the PML-N supported the enforcement of the regulation and urged the government to take urgent measures for its early implementation. |
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India-Pakistan |
US need not worry about Swat surrender: PM |
2009-04-21 |
![]() Regarding the concerns voiced by US Special Representative on Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke over the new law, Gilani said: "He does not need to worry too much about it. This is our country. We know the ground realities better than him. We know much better what kind of strategy should be evolved." But he added that the regulation, which some call sharia law, was contingent to peace in the restive Swat valley. "If peace prevails, we would protect this regulation," the prime minister said, adding that the country's leadership was responsibly following a "home-ground strategy" on peace as approved by parliament. Asked to comment on a statement by Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-Muhammadi leader Sufi Muhammad that the superior judiciary and democracy were un-Islamic, the prime minister said he did not want to comment on Sufi's "personal opinion". "There are many people who do not believe in democracy...But we believe in the will of the masses, and the support of people is with us," he said. Regarding MQM's apprehensions about the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation, Gilani said, "We are trying to convince them." "Time will tell whether it was in the interest of the country or not," he said. Gilani said he had received the report of the parliamentary committee on national security and it would be placed before the cabinet to evolve a national policy on terrorism. "We are trying to convince them [United States] that drone attacks are against you. They are making our job and your job difficult," the prime minister said to a question. "This is our own war and we want to fight it in our own way, and you should help us if you really want to fight this menace," he said. |
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India-Pakistan |
Swat Taliban agree to remove checkposts |
2009-03-09 |
![]() The first phase of the talks concluded successfully in Peshawar with the three parties agreeing to continue talks, a private TV channel reported. Sources said that following the release of 12 imprisoned Taliban, the parties concerned had achieved consensus on all matters. However, the channel added, the meeting agreed to continue talks to resolve any remaining issues. Also on Sunday, security forces removed all checkposts from Takhtaband Road in Mingora and opened it to traffic. TNSM spokesman Ameer Izzat told Daily Times both the security forces and the Taliban had removed their checkposts following the successful dialogue. He said TNSM chief Sufi Muhammad had travelled to Tablighi Markaz through the Takhtaband Road. |
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India-Pakistan |
Religious scholars express reservations over Nizam-e-Adl |
2009-02-18 |
![]() Pakistan Mufti-e-Azam and Ruhat-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, while talking to Daily Times on Tuesday, said that the deal is a 'silent' agreement between two parties which is a step towards curbing the ongoing unrest. "Does the agreement justify the killing of innocent people and if so, who is to blame for the deaths? The second question that arises is that if the Shariat has been imposed by force then what about the other parts of the country?" asked Rehman. Replying to a question, Rehman said that even though he is Pakistan's Muft-e-Azam, his opinion was not sought in this regard. He demanded that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani take all religious scholars of all sects into confidence before implementing the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation 2009. Idara-e-Tabligh Taleemat-e-Islami Pakistan Head Allama Syed Aun Naqvi said that it is a political deal which has been done with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan through Sufi Muhammad. Expressing his reservations, he said, "What about the people belonging to other sects in the Malakand division such as Birhalvi, Shia, Ismaili, Bohri to name a few?" He added that if the regulation is implemented in other areas of NWFP, the people will not be given justice, the impact of which will be seen throughout the country. He also said that if this is the way that the situation will be dealt with, the people might hold protests throughout the country. He declared that the decisions in the Shia sect are taken in the light of the Quran, Sunnat and wit, adding that, "This decision was taken by consulting the Quran, Sunnat and Ijema, hence, the Shia community does not accept the agreement." |
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India-Pakistan |
Sufi Muhammad wants Islamic rule worldwide |
2009-02-18 |
![]() "From the very beginning, I have viewed democracy as a system imposed on us by the infidels. Islam does not allow democracy or elections," he told Deutsche Presse-Agentur in an interview held a few days before the government accepted his demand of enforcing sharia in the region. "Had the government accepted our demands in 1994, we would have not seen the violence we are seeing today," he added. Sufi Muhammad's son-in-law, Mullah Fazlullah, has fostered the violence in the name of Islam. Sufi Muhammad said he was against shedding the blood of Muslims, however, added the government should have talked to the Taliban instead of taking military action. He pledged to work for complete peace in Swat if the government enforces Islamic laws, a demand which has now been met. "I believe the Taliban government formed a complete Islamic state, which was an ideal example for other Muslim countries. Had this government remained intact, it could have led to the establishment of similar Islamic governments in many other countries," he said. |
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India-Pakistan |
Key militant, five suspects rounded up in Swat |
2008-01-12 |
![]() According to police sources, Dr Khan is an important commander of the militants and is considered among the top aides of cleric Maulana Fazlullah. The sources also said that Muhammad Iqbal, district nazim of the banned Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e Shariat Muhammadi, who was arrested recently from Fateh Pur area, had been shifted to an unknown destination for interrogation while his six colleagues were released after initial investigations. Police seized a large cache of arms from Iqbals residence. |
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