Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Pakistan-Taliban deal Pakistani provincial govt. says deal with Taliban intact

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Peshawar, June 10, IRNA

Provincial government in Pakistan's northwest Monday said that a peace deal with the local Taliban in Swat valley has not ended.

Government in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) last month signed a deal with local Taliban, who promised to stop attacks on security forces and in return announced to withdraw troops from the valley of Swat.

Interior Advisor Rahman Malik was quoted by all private TV channels that the Pakistani government has scrapped the peace deal with the local Taliban in the volatile Swat Valley.

"The agreement is still intact and if the central government has some reservations over the deal it should take the provincial Chief Minister into confidence," senior NWFP minister Bashir Bilor said.

Meanwhile spokesman for Pakistani Taliban Movement Maulvi Umar said that Taliban are still holding the truce adding that the deal was not signed with the central government and it can not scrap it.

Rehman Malik was quoted as saying that the agreement was ended after continued attacks against the security forces in Swat.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan angrily reacted to remarks from the Interior Advisor and warned that Taliban would show strong reaction if the government used force against the militants.

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