Swat peace deal 'hard to understand': Holbrooke

Washington, Feb.21 (ANI): The special US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke has expressed his concern over the peace deal between the Pakistan Government and the Taliban in the Swat Valley, saying the Swat deal is 'hard to understand.'

Holbrooke called Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to convey Washington's stance on the issue, The Daily Times reports.

He said Zardari has assured him that the peace deal was only an 'interim arrangement' to stabilise the troubled region.

Zardari also agreed that people with whom the peace deal has been inked have a dangerous track record, and they pose threat to Pakistan, US and the whole region.

Holbrooke also expressed his fears that the so called 'peace deal' may turn into a surrender by Islamabad to the Taliban.

"I am concerned, and I know that Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is, and the President is, that this deal which is portrayed in the press as a truce does not turn into a surrender," he added.

Earlier on Friday, Holbrooke had admitted that the Obama administration is 'troubled and confused' over implementation of Islamic law in the Swat Valley.

Holbrooke said such efforts of establishing peace in the region have fallen apart previously, thus raising questions over the recent deal between the Taliban and Pakistan Government.

"We're troubled and confused in a sense about what happened in Swat because it is not an encouraging trend. Previous ceasefires have broken down," he had said. (ANI)