Pakistan truce includes enforcement of Islamic law

[zaka41]

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani officials reached a peace deal with a Taliban-linked group Sunday that could lead to the enforcement of Islamic law in a part of the country that is supposed to be fully under government control.

Militants in the Swat Valley responded by declaring a 10-day cease-fire as a goodwill gesture.

The agreement is expected to be formally announced Monday.

Several past deals with militants have failed, but Pakistan says force alone cannot defeat al-Qaida and Taliban fighters wreaking havoc in its northwest and attacking U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

The United States has said the deals merely give insurgents time to regroup.

Regaining the Swat Valley from militants is a major test for Pakistan's shaky civilian leadership. Unlike the semiautonomous tribal regions where al-Qaida and Taliban have long thrived, the former tourist haven is supposed to be under full government control.

But militants have gained power since a peace deal last year collapsed within months, and violence has increased.

Provincial government leaders confirmed they were talking to a pro-Taliban group about ways to impose Islamic judicial practices in the Malakand division, which includes Swat.

The Swat Taliban's version of Islamic law is especially harsh. They have declared a ban on female education, forced women to stay mostly indoors and clamped down on many forms of entertainment.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said the militants would adhere to any deal reached with the group if Islamic law is implemented in the region.

He also announced the 10-day cease-fire.

"We reserve the right to retaliate if we are fired upon," he said. "Once Islamic law is imposed, there will be no problems in Swat. The Taliban will lay down their arms."

Khan also said the militants had freed a Chinese engineer held captive for nearly six months. Long Xiaowei was freed Saturday, days before a planned visit to China by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

Provincial law minister Arshad Abdullah said the deal would require the pro-Taliban group to convince the militants to first give up violence. Then existing laws governing the justice system can be amended or enforced, he said.

"They have to succumb to law," Abdullah said. "They have to put down their arms."

Past deals required militants to stop fighting but eventually unraveled amid militant complaints that the government was not meeting their demands.

The pro-Taliban group — known as the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammedi, or the Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law — is led by Sufi Muhammad, who Pakistan freed from custody last year after he renounced violence.

Muhammad is the father-in-law of Maulana Faz***lah, the leader of the Swat Taliban. Muhammad, who has long agitated for Islamic law in the region, said that after the formal announcement he will go to Swat and ask Faz***lah and his men to lay down their arms.

A broad peace deal reached last year with Faz***lah's militants effectively collapsed within a few months, and Pakistani security officials blame that agreement for the militants' gains in Swat since then. The deal was supposed to let religious scholars advise judges in the courts, but the agreement encountered obstacles, said Mian Iftikhar Hussain, information minister for North West Frontier Province.

An Islamic judicial system is a concession to the insurgents, but it is also a long-standing demand of many civilians in the conservative region who are dissatisfied with the inefficient secular justice system.

Hussain noted that the Swat Taliban had responded well to the talks, but he warned that if "someone does not agree and does not adopt the way of dialogue, the government would be compelled to use force to establish its authority."

Pakistan has tried to avoid negotiating directly with militants, often using tribal elders as intermediaries.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi deflected concerns about a negative U.S. reaction to the talks, insisting the country was reaching out to peaceful groups.

"We are not compromising with militants, instead trying to isolate the militants, and for that I do not think America will have any objection," he said.

Deteriorating security in the nuclear-armed country has included a string of attacks on foreigners.

U.N. officials said Sunday they were still trying to establish contact with the kidnappers of an American employee seized Feb. 2 in the southwest city of Quetta. On Friday, John Solecki's kidnappers threatened to kill him within 72 hours and issued a 20-second video of the blindfolded captive.

It was unclear exactly when the deadline would expire, and U.N. officials said Sunday they were still trying to establish contact with the kidnappers, who identify themselves as the previously unknown Baluchistan Liberation United Front. The name indicates the group is more likely linked to separatists than to Islamists.

source:[media]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090215/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan[/media]


Well, Islamic Law is fine. Maybe they should learn what it is first, before trying to impose it. Islam does not allow women to not get educated. No where does it say women should not be educated. I think they need to review what they want.

[LethalSami]

i agree with U that islamic law is fine . but some people don't really know what is it exactly. ex: women's education.

[mixyguy6]

exactly need is that they implement true Islamic laws not what they want for their own benefits...

[fawad DOT]

پچھلے چند دنوں ميں پاکستانی ميڈيا پر حکومت پاکستان اور عسکريت پسندوں کے درميان ہونے والے معاہدے کے حوالے سے کافی بحث ہو رہی ہے۔ اس ضمن ميں ہر طرح کے تجزيےاور تبصرے جاری ہيں جن ميں ہر نقطہ نظر کی ترجمانی ہوتی ہے۔ ليکن ميرے نزديک زمينی حقائق سمجھنے کے ليےاس معاملے کے سب سے اہم فريق طالبان کے ترجمان کا نقطہ نظر سننا بہت ضروری ہے۔

فروری 15 کو ايکسپريس ٹی وی کے پروگرام "کل تک" ميں مشہور صحافی جاويد چوہدری نے سوات ميں تحريک طالبان سوات کے ترجمان حاجی مسلم خان سے ايک گفتگو کی جو آپ اس ويب لنک پر ديکھ سکتے ہيں۔

Kal Tak 15th February 2009 - Friends Korner

اس پروگرام ميں 8:05 منٹ پر حاجی مسلم خان کی گفتگو ضرور سنيں۔ جاويد چوہدری نے ان سے مستقبل کے ارادوں اور حکمت عملی کے حوالے سے جب سوال کيا تو ان کا جواب يہ تھا کہ وہ پورے پاکستان ميں اس نظام کے نفاذ کے ليے اپنی جدوجہد جاری رکھيں گے۔ صرف يہی نہيں بلکہ وہ اس کے بعد ہمسايہ ممالک بلکہ ساری دنيا پر يہ نظام نافذ کرنا چاہتے ہیں۔ جب جاويد چوہدری نے اپنا سوال دہرايا تو ان کا جواب پھر وہی تھا۔

ہم سب طالبان کی "مقدس جدوجہد" کے طريقہ کار سے بخوبی واقف ہيں۔ ان طريقوں ميں لڑکيوں کے سکول جلانا، ميوزک کی دکانوں کو آگ لگانا اور پاکستانی فوج اور حکومت پاکستان کے اہلکاروں کے قتل کے علاوہ مقامی آبادی کو اپنی دہشت کا نشانہ بنانا ہے۔

حقيقت يہ ہے کہ طالبان پاکستان کے جن علاقوں ميں متحرک ہيں وہ وہاں پر کلی يا جزوی اپنا نظام قائم کرنے کے ليے راہ ہموار کر رہے ہيں۔ اس ميں کوئ شک نہيں کہ ان علاقوں ميں امن کا قيام حکومت پاکستان کی اہم ترجيحات ميں شامل ہے اور حاليہ حالات کے تناظر ميں يہ بالکل درست ہے ليکن سوال يہ ہے کہ جب طالبان کسی اور علاقے ميں جا کر وہاں بھی حکومت پاکستان کی رٹ کو چيلنج کر کے اپنا نظام قائم کرنے کا مطالبہ کريں گے تو اس کا حل کيا ہو گا۔ يقينی طور پر وہ دن زيادہ دور نہيں ہے۔ حاجی مسلم خان نے مختلف علاقوں ميں طالبان کے اثرورسوخ ميں اضافے کے حوالے سے اپنے ارادے واضح کر ديے ہيں۔


فواد – ڈيجيٹل آؤٹ ريچ ٹيم – يو ايس اسٹيٹ ڈيپارٹمينٹ
digitaloutreach@state.gov
U.S. Department of State

[BusySoul]

yeah right..................... like they really want Islam to rule............ like they really know what Islam says and teaches.............. like they dont have their own agenda................

[Faisal1985]

whats up with this fawad dot guy.....he has nothing better to do.

[BusySoul]

whats up with this fawad dot guy.....he has nothing better to do.

he is another propagendist like that dhakkan muslimpakistani.......... his job is to make US look good and somehow blame Pakistan and Islam for every thing............

[Faisal1985]

I know, its weired the way he rights too in urdu, no human speaks like that....its like he is righting news columns and stuff.....i think its auto generated.

[khana]

he is employee of us govt, department of state, digital outreah team. he is doing what he is paid for.

[fawad DOT]

I know, its weired the way he rights too in urdu, no human speaks like that....its like he is righting news columns and stuff.....i think its auto generated.

ميں کسی " ايجنڈے" پر کام نہيں کر رہا۔ آپ ديکھ سکتے ہيں کہ ميں اپنی ہر پوسٹ سے پہلے يہ واضح کرتا ہوں کہ ميرا تعلق يو – ايس – اسٹيٹ ڈيپارٹمنٹ سے ہے۔ جب ميں اپنی وابستگی آپ پر واضح کرنے کے بعد اپنی راۓ کا اظہار کر رہا ہوں تو اس ميں " ايجنڈا" کہاں سے آ گيا؟ اپنی راۓ کے اظہار کے ليے مجھے کچھ چھپانے کی ضرورت نہيں ہے۔

آپ اور ميں اچھی طرح سے جانتے ہيں کہ پاکستان ميں ہر سطح پر امريکہ کے خلاف انتہائ نفرت کے جذبات پاۓ جاتے ہيں ليکن يہ ميرا اپنا نقطہ نظر ہے کہ ہميشہ تصوير کے دو رخ ہوتے ہيں اور جب تک جذبات سے ہٹ کر دونوں فريقين کے نقطہ نظر کو نہ سمجھا جاۓ اس وقت تک کسی بھی معاملے کو سلجھايا نہيں جا سکتا۔ ڈيجيٹل آؤٹ ريچ ٹيم کے ممبر کی حيثيت سے مجھے يہ موقع ملتا ہے کہ ميں مختلف فورمز پر اہم موضوعات کے حوالے سے اپنے ہم وطنوں کے الزامات، تحفظات اور انکی شکايات امريکی حکام تک پہنچاؤں اور ان کا موقف حاصل کر کے آپ کے سوالوں کا جواب دوں۔ مقصد آپ کو قائل کرنا نہيں بلکہ آپ کو دوسرے فريق کے نقطہ نظر سے آگاہ کرنا ہے تا کہ آپ حقائق کی روشنی ميں اپنی راۓ قائم کر سکيں


فواد – ڈيجيٹل آؤٹ ريچ ٹيم – يو ايس اسٹيٹ ڈيپارٹمينٹ
digitaloutreach@state.gov
U.S. Department of State