Taliban sets deadline for its courts

Militants in Pakistan's Swat valley say the government must deliver its promise of implementing Taliban-inspired laws by March 15. 

Sufi Mohammad, a pro-Taliban cleric, told reporters in Swat's main town of Mingora on Sunday that Islamabad had not yet taken any practical steps toward implementing the Taliban-style judicial system in the region. 

He warned authorities of protests if the government failed to set up the courts that were agreed upon during ceasefire talks two weeks ago. 

"If Nifaz-e-Adl (a system of justice) is not enforced by March 15, protest camps will be set up in Malakand," he said. 

The peace agreement binds the government to implement Taliban-style strict laws in the Malakand division, which comprises Swat and its adjoining areas. 

In exchange, local Taliban militants promised to end their two-year violent insurgency. 

The deal, however, raised alarm among moderate forces amid concerns it will extend extremists' influence in Pakistan. 

The insurgents waged a violent campaign to enforce Wahabbi-inspired laws, which included beheading opponents and bombing girls' schools in the troubled region. 

Pakistan's President, Asif Zardari, says the Taliban is required to lay down their arms as part of the deal. 

However, local media reports said there was no sign of disarmament and that the Taliban had effectively won control over Swat. 

Swat, once a popular holiday destination, has been blighted by violence since 2007. 

Pakistan is under increasing international pressure to eliminate militant sanctuaries.

Taliban declares 'indefinite' Swat truce

Taliban declares an indefinite ceasefire in Pakistan's Swat after government agreed to establish the insurgents' rule in the restive valley. 

A Taliban commander on Tuesday agreed to extend a 10-day ceasefire, which had been scheduled to expire Wednesday. 

"Today the shura (council) met under Maulana Fazlullah and decided to hold a ceasefire for an indefinite period," Taliban's spokesman Muslim Khan said, adding that "We are releasing all prisoners unconditionally. Today we released four paramilitary soldiers and we will release all security personnel in our custody as a goodwill gesture." 

The announcement comes a day after the army confirmed it was halting military operations in the region. 

The developments come after pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Mohammad spearheaded a deal with provincial officials on last Monday in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP). 

Sufi, in a press conference, called the local Taliban and the government to remain peaceful, a Press TV correspondent reported. 

The peace agreement binds the government to implement Taliban-style judicial system in the Malakand division, which comprises Swat and its adjoining areas. 

The local government has hailed the truce. The deal, however, raised alarm among moderate forces amid concerns it will extend extremists' influence toward settled areas in Pakistan. 

Thousands of Fazlullah-led insurgents waged a violent campaign to enforce Wahabbi-inspired laws, which included beheading opponents and bombing girls' schools in the troubled region. 

Past peace deals between the government and militants have quickly collapsed. 

Pakistani President Asif Zardari says the Taliban is required to lay down their arms as part of the deal. 

But Media reports said Tuesday there was no sign of disarmament and that Fazlullah had effectively won control of Swat. 

Swat, once a popular holiday destination, has been blighted by violence since 2007. 

The Taliban militants have already set up a parallel administration with courts, taxes, patrols and checkpoints in the restive Swat valley and its surrounding areas.View

Bin Laden not in Parachinar: Pakistani MP

A member of Pakistan's National Assembly has rejected a report that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is hiding in the Kurram Agency. 

Earlier, a research team led by geographer Thomas Gillespie of the University of California, Los Angeles said that Bin Laden was most likely hiding in Parachinar town of the Kurram Agency. 

"I strongly contradicted the report, as Parachinar is completely different from the other tribal areas with majority of the population of Shia community, who are known as anti-Taliban," said Sajid Hussein Turi. 

Thomas Gillespie's report suggested that Osama might be hiding in one of the three compounds in Parachinar, 12 miles from the Afghan border. 

Turi said that it was impossible for the al-Qaeda leader to seek refuge in an area dominated by an anti-militant population, a Press TV correspondent reported. 

The people of Kurram Agency are peace-loving people opposed to the terrorist activities in the region, the Pakistani MP added. View

Taliban declares unilateral ceasefire in Bajaur

Taliban announces a unilateral cease-fire in Pakistan's tribal Bajaur Agency where the Pakistani military has killed hundreds of its militants. 

Taliban's commander Maulvi Faqir Mohammad announced the cease-fire, in a radio broadcast on Monday. 

"We have decided to observe a cease-fire," he said. "I direct all of my fighters to stop armed actions against the government. We will take strict action against anyone who violates the order." 

"We made this announcement of a unilateral ceasefire in the interest of Pakistan and our region," Faqir said, emphasizing that "Pakistan is our country and the Pakistan army is our army. 

However, he warned that if US drone strikes inside Pakistan's tribal belt continued, Taliban would 'avenge them by attacking Western troops inside Afghanistan'. 

The announcement comes a week after a deal was signed between Taliban insurgents and Pakistani officials to end an insurgency in the neighboring Swat valley in return for the imposition of Taliban-inspired laws. 

Unlike in Swat, the insurgents in Bajur had been losing ground in recent months and the Pakistani army has several times claimed to be close to victory. 

Meanwhile, the Pakistan army said it had ceased operations against Taliban militants in the northwestern valley of Swat, and a pro-Taliban cleric asked for troops to be shifted to 'safer places' to give peace a chance. 

However, Military Spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said that the government reserves the option of using force if no positive development is witnessed in Swat's security situation, a Press TV correspondent reported. 

The developments come after pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Mohammad spearheaded a deal with provincial officials in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP). 

The peace agreement binds the government to implement Taliban-style judicial system in the Malakand division, which comprises Swat and its adjoining areas. 

Taliban militants have set up a parallel administration with courts, taxes, patrols and checkpoints in the restive Swat valley and its surrounding areas.

The Taliban militants have set up a parallel administration with courts, taxes, patrols and checkpoints in the restive Swat valley and the troubled northwestern region. 

Bajaur is considered a crucial hub for the Taliban insurgents due to its access routes to neighboring Afghanistan and the rest of Pakistan. 

The Bajaur Agency and restive Swat Valley has been the scene of some of the worst fighting between Pakistani forces and Taliban-linked militants in recent months. 

Pakistan is under increasing international pressure to eliminate militant sanctuaries. 

The tribal regions along the shared border between Pakistan and Afghanistan have become a safe haven for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants after a US-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. View

Taliban calls cease-fire in Pakistan's Swat

Taliban insurgents announce a 10-day ceasefire in Pakistan's restive north-west Swat Valley after months of unrest, a militant spokesman says.

"We're announcing ceasefire as a goodwill gesture to the ongoing talks between Maulana Sufi Mohammad and the government," Muslim Khan, a spokesman for the Taliban militants said. 

The ceasefire announcement comes amid talks between the North West Frontier Province's (NWFP) government and a pro-Taliban cleric, Sufi Mohammad, the leader of Tahrik-e-Nifaz Shariat. 

Sufi had dispatched hundreds of his men to fight in Afghanistan during the 2001 US-led invasion. He was released last year by Pakistani security forces after spending almost eight years in jail. 

The peace agreement, which is expected to be announced on Monday, binds the provincial government to implement Taliban-style strict laws in the Malakand division, which comprises Swat and its adjoining areas. 

The Taliban spokesman said the decision for a 10-day ceasefire has been made in view of the ongoing efforts by its allied group for the enforcement of Taliban laws in the region, according to a Press TV correspondent. 

Meanwhile in an interview with US TV network CBS on Sunday, Pakistani President Asif Zardari said the Taliban had established presence across 'huge parts' of Pakistan. "We are aware of the fact that the Taliban are trying to take over the state of Pakistan," he said. 

The Taliban militants have set up a parallel administration with courts, taxes, patrols and checkpoints in the troubled Swat region. 

Swat, once a popular destination for Pakistani and foreign holidaymakers, has descended into chaos in recent months, with pitched battles between insurgents and the Pakistani army. 

The ceasefire brings a pause in fighting between the Pakistani army and the insurgents in Swat that has raged since November 2007. 
The 900-square-km (3,500-square-mile) Swat Valley lies less than 160 km (100 miles) from the capital, Islamabad. 

About 1,500 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in fighting against militants since 2002.