A radical cleric, who had negotiated the deal between the Pakistan government and the Taliban on imposing Islamic law Sharia in the Swat valley in the country's northwest, broke off negotiations with it to protest a military operation against the Taliban in an adjoining district, reports say.
Pakistani troops and Taliban militants have clashed in Lower Dir in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), forcing hundreds of civilians to flee. NWFP officials had agreed to a deal that would introduce Sharia law in return for an end to Taliban insurgency.
"We are suspending talks with the government until the military operation in Dir is halted," said a spokesman for Maulana Sufi Muhammad, the cleric who is also leader of the banned movement Tehrik-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat Muhammadi (TSNM). However, he said the Taliban still adhered to the February peace agreement, but would resume talks only after the operation was stopped by the Pakistan government.
The spokesman said Sufi Muhammad was cut off in his village in Lower Dir, and no talks could take place until communication was restored with him. Demanding suspension of the operation so that he was able to get out of his village, the spokesman said the operation violated the peace agreement, and there was no point talking peace when there was violence in the area.
The situation in Lower Dir remained tense as families continued to flee the battle zone. Schools and markets were closed and the area continued to be under curfew.
The Pakistani military said troops, backed by artillery and helicopter gunships, killed 30 militants Monday in the Maidan area following clashes that started when the government deployed troops in some areas of the district over the week-end. The NWFP government said earlier that more than 25 suspected militants were killed Sunday when they attacked army convoys.
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