Govt rejects peace agreement in Bajaur
Govt rejects peace agreement in Bajaur
Change of mind by the taliban has been forced by circumstances as they are no longer in a dominating position. - File photo.
PESHAWAR: The government on Wednesday denied that any peace agreement had been reached with militants in Bajaur and said that security forces would continue to conduct operation in the restive tribal region.‘There is no peace deal between the militants and the government,’ Fata secretariat said in a statement issued here. ‘The operation is continuing as originally planned,’ it said.
The official strongly denied media reports of a possible deal with the militants, insisting that the Inspector General of the Frontier Corps, Maj. Gen. Tariq Khan had in fact gone to Bajaur on Tuesday to discuss operational matters with his officers on the ground.
The statement comes in the wake of a unilateral ceasefire by militants in Bajaur tribal region.
Subsequent follow-up negotiations between tribal elders from Mamoond tribe and the political authorities fuelled speculations of a possible peace agreement between the two sides.
A senior security official told Dawn that unilateral ceasefire by the Taliban in Bajaur had in fact been prompted by a surprising occupation of two dominating heights overlooking militant stronghold of Omari in Mamoond area late Sunday night.
‘We literally caught them napping,’ the official closely involved with the operation in Bajaur said.
The move exposed militants to snipers and also put them under a virtual siege. Officials and local residents say militants had vacated Inayat Kalli, another of their strongholds, anticipating advance of paramilitary forces in the area.
Hours later, Haji Muhammad Omar not only announced a unilateral ceasefire, he also said that militants would not attack security forces and government installations and would in fact help security forces in the search operation to prove that there were no foreign militants in the area.
The official said that the government wanted militants to lay down their arms and surrender. ‘The forces will move regardless whether the militants choose to fight or not to resist. As far as the government is concerned, it will not hesitate to use force if the advance parties of the security forces were fired at or any of the posts attacked,’ the official said.
‘This sudden change of mind by the Taliban does not mean that they have had an overnight change of heart and have become good guys. This change of mind has been forced by circumstances of events. They are no longer in a dominating position. They are losing territory and their stronghold is no longer safe to ensure their security. That’s why the tribal elders they used to despise for being pro-government have now become their saviors,’ the official commented.
0 comments:
Post a Comment