'Sharia doesn't permit us to lay down arms,': Muslim Khan

Islamabad, Apr. 15 (ANI): Pakistani's Taliban will not lay down heir arms in a northwestern valley as part of a deal that ncluded the introduction of sharia law but will take their struggle' to new areas, a militant spokesman said today.

'Sharia doesn't permit us to lay down arms,' Muslim Khan said by elephone. 'If a government, either in Pakistan or Afghanistan, ontinues anti-Muslim policies, it's out of the question that aliban lay down their arms.'

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, under pressure from onservatives, signed a regulation on Monday imposing sharia law n the Swat valley to end Taliban violence.

The strategy of appeasement has alarmed US officials, while ritics say the government has demonstrated a lack of capacity nd will to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda.

According to Dawn, details of the deal have not been made public ut government officials backing the pact have said part of it as that militants would give up their arms.

But a Pakistani Taliban spokesman in the scenic valley, a one-ime tourist destination 125 km northwest of Islamabad, said they ould be keeping their guns.

He said "When we achieve our goal at one place, there are other reas where we need to struggle for it."

He further said 'the decisions of Qazi courts will not be allowed o be challenged in any other court of the country, including the upreme Court.'

Khan said militants would go to Afghanistan to fight US-led orces if Afghan Taliban called for help.

'Our struggle is for a cause and that's to enforce Allah's rule n Allah's land. We will send mujahideen to Afghanistan if they emand them,' he said.

Earlier, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Muslim Khan has aid that their men would surrender arms only after they see haria enforced in Malakand division of the Sawt Valley, after NSM chief Sufi Muhammad has asked them to lay down arms after akistan President Asif Zardari approved the Nizam-e-Adl egulation. "The Taliban should lay down weapons after the signing of the haria regulation by the president," Sufi said while talking to eporters."We will do that when the Sharia is enforced and we see changes n the ground," the Daily Times quoted TTP spokesman Muslim Khan, s saying. "When we are satisfied with the practical steps, we will lay down eapons," he said. He asked the Taliban to avoid displaying eapons in public in major towns of the division. But Sufi said the Taliban should now "play their role in evelopment of the people and the area. Their demand for the mposition of sharia has been met and carrying weapons has no ogic now."

However, the new qazi courts would not hear cases against the aliban, the TNSM chief said. "We intend to bury the past," Sufi aid. (ANI)