October 29, 2007	Monday	Shawwal 16, 1428

MANSEHRA, Oct 28: The Kohistan administration has formed a jirga of clerics to hold talks with Maulana Fazlullah for restoring peace in the Swat valley.

However, sources said, the jirga had not been able to meet Maulana Fazlullah because he had gone ‘underground’.

Former MPA Maulana Dildar, a member of the jirga, told Dawn from Kohistan that the jirga formed by district coordination officer Dildar Ahmad comprised 60 clerics, including former MNA Maulana Abdul Haleem, Maulana Mohammad Ameen and Maulana Hakim.

He said the jirga had been formed on the directive of the NWFP interior secretary following Maulana Fazlullah’s announcement that he would approach ulema in Kohistan to seek their support for his armed struggle for enforcement of Sharia in Malakand.

He said the jirga had established contacts with Maulana Fazlullah’s associate, Maulana Alam, in Swat, but he had told them that Fazlullah himself would contact the jirga.

Sources in the Kohistan district administration said that Frontier Constabulary personnel had been deployed at the Chackai checkpost and along the mountains on the Shangla-Kohistan boundary to stop Maulana Fazlullah and his associates from entering the district. It may be mentioned that the Maulana has stated that the mountains of Kohistan will be a safe base for his struggle.