Taliban in ‘gross violation’ of peace

PAKISTAN’s military yesterday accused the Taliban of “gross violation” of a peace accord covering a large segment of its northwest after several acts of violence over the weekend.

The allegations came as the north-west province’s government said it was fulfilling its end of the deal by establishing an Islamic appellate court for the area, though a cleric mediating the pact rejected the panel.

The developments underscored the ambivalence in Pakistan’s government over how best to tackle militancy in its regions bordering Afghanistan. It is a topic that will come up when Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari meets with President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a visit to Washington later this week.

Under the peace deal struck in February, the government agreed to impose Islamic law in the Swat Valley and surrounding areas that make up the Malakand Division. The pact appeared to embolden the Taliban in Swat, who soon entered the adjacent Buner district.

Critics, including the US, have cast the peace deal as a surrender. It is of particular concern to American officials, who worry Swat will turn into a haven for militants near Afghanistan, where US and Nato troops are battling an increasingly virulent insurgency.

Over the past week, the Pakistani military has gone on the offensive to push the Taliban out of Buner, 100km from Islamabad. An army statement yesterday said 80 militants had been killed so far along with three soldiers. An important local commander was believed to be among the dead militants, the statement said.

The dangerous nature of the area makes independent verification of the army statement near impossible.

Pushing the Taliban out of Buner does not mean the army is willing to try to oust them from their Swat Valley stronghold, even though its statement took a harsh stance toward the weekend incidents in Swat.

The army accused militants of looting a bank and said security forces discovered at least three explosives-laden vehicles apparently intended for suicide attacks.

Clashes between security forces and militants left at least one soldier dead and three soldiers and four militants wounded, it added.

Two decapitated bodies were found near Khwaza Khela, police officer Umer Rahim Khan said.

A Taliban spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Despite the strains on the ceasefire, the North West Frontier Province government insists it is not abandoning dialogue.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the province’s information minister, said on Saturday that the formation of the Islamic appellate court meant the government was close to fulfilling its obligations. He said two judges have been appointed to the panel, with more to be named later.