Taliban refuses to leave Buner, taken over power

Islamabad, Apr 21: Taliban militants from the Swat valley refuse to leave the Buner District of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan.

The News Daily reported on Tuesday, Apr 21 that the Taliban militants who moved into Buner about two weeks ago, have taken over a bungalow owned by a businessman in Sultanwas village and are using it as their headquarters. The leaders of the Awami National Party (ANP), which rules the NWFP, to leave the region and the intervention of the tribal peace jirga has failed to convince the militants to leave the region.

Taliban commander Fateh Muhammad has taken over the power in Buner and Taliban appointed Mufti Bashir is a 'Qazi' or judge who is addressing the complaints of the people.

The ANP leaders are contemplating 'to publicly disown their association with the nationalist party and dismantle their local organisations in the face of the growing influence of armed militants in the mountainous district'. Few of the ANP leaders have left the regions while others are persuading the government to flush out the 'non-local taliban' from the district.

OneIndia News