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| 11 May 2004 | Tuesday | 20 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 |
New tribal lashkar formed
WANA, May 10: The Ahmadzai Wazir tribe have raised another lashkar to hunt down foreign militants following expiry on Monday of an extended deadline for registration of foreigners hiding in the South Waziristan tribal region.
Government officials privately acknowledged that by implications the raising of the lashkar "signalled demise" of the April 24 "rapprochement" at Shakai under which five most wanted tribal militants were pardoned.
Nek Muhammad, one of the top militants pardoned under the deal, threw a spanner in the works by denying that registration of foreign militants was part of the "agreement".
He also asserts there are no foreign militants in the tribal region and accuses the Corps Commander, Peshawar, the architect of the Shakai agreement, of violating the accord by setting a deadline for registration. He threatened on Monday to resume fighting if the government started another operation.
"If the registration of foreign militants was not part of the agreement, why didn't Nek Muhammad object to it on the day the Corps Commander, Peshawar, announced the deadline at Shakai? Why did he not raise the issue the following day? And why did he seek extension in the deadline?" Secretary (security) Fata, Brig. Mehmood Shah, argued.
"The whole agreement was meant for registration of foreign militants. Everybody in Wana knows that Nek Muhammad travelled back and forth to discuss the proposition with his foreign mentors," he added.
The government issued a long clarification on Monday setting aside what it called "deliberate attempt to create confusion about the terms and conditions of the agreement".
It said the three major highlights of the Shakai agreement were "that the five wanted militants and their associates denounce militancy and will not participate in any terrorist activity; Pakistan's soil will not be used for any terrorist activity by anybody; and foreigners have a right to live in an honourable manner".
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