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Center, province at loggerheads over Taliban deal

Aamer Khan - Jun 9, 2008 - 08:44

ISLAMABAD (PAN): Central government Monday announced ending peace agreement with Taliban militants in Swat while the Awami National Party said it was still intact.

Rehman Malik, security adviser told reporters here the agreement was ended after Taliban militants violated it and continued their attacks on soldiers.

He said only in Islamabad nine suicide attackers have been arrested in the last few days.

On the other hand Awami National Party, a coalition partner in the government has contradicted the ending of peace agreement with Taliban. Zahid Khan, a spokesman for the Pakhtun nationalist party said they were against the bloodshed in the province and said the peace deal with Taliban was intact.

"We had inked the peace deal with Taliban and only we would end it not the central government," Khan told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Muslim, a spokesman for the Swat Taliban led by Maulana Sufi Mohammad also contradicted the statement saying that Taliban had entered into peace agreement with provincial government of ANP and not with the central government that was why the agreement was still intact and Taliban would keep it intact.

Political analysts here believe that the central government has announced ending peace deal with Taliban under pressure from United States, western countries and Afghanistan.

Translated and edited by Abid Jan Razarwal


Pajhwok Photo Service


KABUL, Feb 8, 2010: A view of Darul Aman Palace on a snowy and cloudy day on Monday. The combination of heavy snowfall followed by rainfall has produced dangerous conditions for residents and drivers in this capital city of Kabul. PAJHWOK/Nilab Habibi