PESHAWAR, March 3: Militant commander Baitullah Mehsud has reiterated that he will abide by the peace deal he had struck with the government and offered it support to curb violence in South Waziristan.

Mr Mehsud conveyed the goodwill gesture through a 21-member tribal peace jirga which met him at an undisclosed location in the restive tribal agency on Friday.

Tribal area MNA Maulvi Mirajuddin Khan headed the jirga which met the militant commander on the directives of NWFP Governor Ali Mohammed Jan Aurakzai.

“Baitullah Mehsud was very positive. He not only condemned the recent terrorist acts in the country but also assured that he would honour the agreement with the government signed in Spin Kai Raghzai in 2005,” the MNA told Dawn by phone on Saturday.

He said the jirga conveyed a last warning from Governor Aurakzai to the militant commander to abide by the peace accord.

“This is the last chance for Baitullah,” the MNA quoted Mr Aurakzai as saying.

The government has directly blamed Mr Mehsud for the suicide attacks in Mirali, Dera Ismail Khan and the Marriot Hotel, Islamabad.

He had also threatened to avenge Hamzola air strike in South Waziristan in which eight of his supporters had been killed and 10 others injured.

He said Mr Mehsud had offered cooperation to the government in its efforts to check the acts of terrorism in Pakistani and stop infiltration into Afghanistan.