Pak Government freed 12 Taliban militants after deal with TNSM

Peshawar, Mar 8 (ANI): The NWFP Government claimed it had made a breakthrough when it handed over 12 Taliban militants to the Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Mohammadi, and assured it that Qazi courts would be set up by March 13. In return, the Taliban said they would allow the reopening of all roads.The deal was reached at a meeting of representatives of the government, TNSM and the Taliban at the Circuit House in Gulkada.

The freed militants were handed over to the TNSM delegation at the office of the Malakand Commissioner, The Dawn reports.

They were identified as Saifullah, Abdul Jalil, Shafiullah, Naveed Akbar, Zahir Jan, Asif Khan, Sardar Ali, Islam Shaha, Gul Zamin, Syedullah, Jalat Khan and Mohammad Naveed.

Two members of the NWFP Government's task force - Information Minister Iftikhar and ANP's provincial chief Afrasiab Khattak - had arrived in Mingora on Friday to hold a meeting with TNSM chief Sufi Mohammad.

"We discussed some confidence-building measures to improve the situation," Mian Iftikhar said.

He said the government had agreed to free militants who had been cleared by security agencies, adding that it was willing to free more militants.

In return, he said, militants had agreed to remove their 'checkpost' in Qambar, near Mingora, and said they would stop patrolling the area. He said girls' schools had been reopened. "As of today, girls have started going to schools," Mian Iftikhar saidThe minister said that the government would begin appointing Qazis next week and promulgate the Nizam-i-Adl Regulations soon.

"The draft ... has been finalised. The Chief Minister may sign it today or ... tomorrow. We are confident that President Asif Ali Zardari will sign it soon. He is fully on board," Mian Iftikhar said. (ANI)