Pak Government drafts peace agreement with militants

Peshawar, Apr 23 : The Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani Government has drafted a peace pact with the Taliban operating in the restive tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

It may be recalled that the Pakistan Government initiated negotiations with the rebels soon after winning the February 18 elections.

"Work is in progress swiftly on a new peace agreement with the Taliban Movement of Pakistan," a senior security official told a foreign news agency.

He also said that "indirect negotiations" through tribal elders were also going on.

According to officials, the draft deal contains clauses which will bound both sides of not taking armed action against each other. Security forces will be withdrawn from certain areas and militants would stop attacking troops.

Chief spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban Maulvi Omar admitted that they were having talks with the government. "There is significant positive development, we have accepted most of each others' demands. In next few days we hope that a positive outcome is achieved," the Dawn quoted Omar, as saying.

ANI