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PESHAWAR, April 22: The year-long Wana conflict is likely to come to an end after wanted militants in the South Waziristan tribal region agreed to lay down their arms in return for clemency from the government. The militants conveyed their willingness to lay down arms to the military bosses through two parliamentarians from their area.
Officials said a military helicopter flew the two parliamentarians, Maulana Abdul Malik and Maulana Mirajuddin, to Peshawar on Wednesday night at around 11pm. The two parliamentarians immediately went into meeting with the Corps Commander Peshawar and conveyed to him the willingness of the five most wanted militants, mainly Nek Mohammad and Sharif, to lay down weapons and live peacefully under guarantees to be furnished by their Zalikhel tribe.
The two were flown back to Wana, regional headquarters of South Waziristan, along with two senior military officers on Thursday taking with them some 'questions' for the militants to clarify.
Officials said the parliamentarians addressed the Zalikhel tribal lashkar in Wana and told them that the government and the militants had agreed to 'let bygones be bygones'. They said the militants had agreed to lay down weapons and reiterate their loyalty to Pakistan.
They claimed that the Corps Commander Peshawar, Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain, and senior government officials were expected to meet the militants at a big gathering at a Madrassah in Shakai on Saturday where the two sides would bury the hatchet and end the months of conflict.
But some government officials warned against too much optimism. They said modalities remained to be worked out before a deal was struck with the militants. Among other things, they said, the militants would have to account for the foreign militants they had been sheltering and supporting.
There were also indications that the Zalikhel tribal elders and tribal lashkar had turned down the mediation by the two parliamentarians on the ground that they stood to lose face with their own people galvanised in the recent days to flush out foreign and local militants.
"This has created last minute problems," said one official. The two parliamentarians were back in Peshawar in the evening and were awaiting a meeting with NWFP Governor Lt-Gen Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah. It was not clear what message had they brought from the militants.
"We are about to reach an agreement with the militants," Brig Mahmood Shah, Fata security chief, told a news briefing earlier in the day. He said wanted militants had sent message to the government through tribal parliamentarians, showing willingness to lay down their arms. They finally agreed to surrender, he added.
The militants, Fata security chief said, had conveyed some conditions while the government had also put forward some counter-conditions. He said the government had sought further explanation from the wanted people regarding their proposals and also sent few questions. The authorities were waiting for a final reply, he added.
"We are positive about striking a deal with the militants," Brig Shah said. He claimed that the miscreants had agreed in principle to surrender to the authorities. "The wanted men also showed commitment of allegiance with the Government of Pakistan," he remarked. The Fata security chief said the government repeated the same conditions announced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf earlier.
President Musharraf had reiterated the government offer that the wanted people, including foreigners, would not be handed over to any foreign country if they laid down their arms peacefully and the respective tribes gave guarantee of their good conduct.
Reiterating the government conditions, Brig Shah said: "The militants will give an undertaking to the government about their good conduct, they will not involve themselves in any anti-state activities and will never use Pakistani soil against any country."
In a goodwill gesture, the local administration allowed the reopening of shops and other business outlets in Wana town, owned by Yargulkhel and Karmuzkhel tribes.
LAKKI OPERATION: Giving details about the ongoing operation in the Frontier Region Lakki Marwat, the Fata security chief claimed that the paramilitary forces had dismantled the network of outlaws in the area, led by a notorious criminal Arsal Khan.
He said the law enforcement agencies had demolished about 63 houses and hideouts of the outlaws during the two week-long operation and also arrested 40 accused. One soldier, he said, was killed and another was missing during action, while one of the two women abducted committed suicide.
Brig Shah said group leader Arsal Khan along with the 25 accomplices were still at large, but paramilitary forces had tightened the noose around them. He said heavy weapons and ammunition, including anti-aircraft guns had also been recovered from the hideouts.
The government launched operation in FR Lakki Marwat for the recovery of 14 kidnapped people. The kidnappings were made allegedly by the Arsal group. The Fata security chief said the outlaws were enjoying support of some local political groups of the area and urged them that action against outlaws should not be politicised.
The operation was started on the recommendation of the prime minister secretariat to recover the kidnapped people, he pointed out.
SURRENDER TODAY: Five rebel Pakistani tribesmen harbouring hundreds of Al-Qaeda fighters have agreed to surrender after persuading the government to delay threatened military action, officials said in Wana on Thursday, adds AFP.
"The five wanted militants have agreed to surrender on Friday with all their weaponry," Rehmatullah Wazir, chief administrator of South Waziristan said. They will surrender before tribal elders in the village of Shakai, 25 kilometres north of Wana, he said.
People in the area welcomed the surrender offer. "Life is becoming normal in Wana. People are very happy over the settlement," resident Hafizullah Wazir said.
