Islamabad
10 July 2008
Pakistan's government has reached a new peace agreement aimed atstopping a militant group from threatening the northwestern cityPeshawar. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad on the latest ina series of controversial agreements that critics say have mainlystrengthened pro-Taliban fighters in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Governmentrepresentatives released details of the agreement on Thursday, aftertribal leaders agreed to guarantee that the local extremist group wouldleave a key town just outside the provincial capital Peshawar and stophostilities against the government.
Tribal elder Malik Hashimwas a member of the delegation and spoke to VOA by telephone fromKhyber agency, where the talks took place.
He said the leader,Mangal Bagh, promised that his people will not attack officialgovernment offices or paramilitary forces in both the settled and ruralareas of Khyber.
Pakistani paramilitary forces launchedoperations in Khyber in late June after locals complained bands ofextremist fighters had moved into settled areas and began harassingpeople and enforcing strict moral codes. There were also increasedsightings of Taliban militants in Peshawar during this time.
Theparamilitary forces met little resistance but have since stayed in theregion during the talks to provide security. The head of Pakistan'sinterior ministry, Rehman Malik, said Thursday that some of thosetroops would now begin leaving.
He said not all of the paramilitary forces will withdraw - those who remain will ensure the militants do not return.
Afghan,NATO and U.S. officials have been critical of similar peace agreementsthe Pakistani government has struck in recent months, sayingwithdrawing troops and striking peace deals have mainly allowed Talibanfighters safe refuge to launch attacks in Afghanistan.
Most ofthe concern has focused on militants in North and South Waziristan,where Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud has vowed to launch attacks oncoalition forces in Afghanistan. In Khyber agency, northeast ofWaziristan, there has been concern over militants threatening animportant overland transit route for commercial trade as well assupplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan.