January 30, 2008	Wednesday	Muharram 20, 1429

TANK, Jan 29: Militant commander Baitullah Mehsud has agreed to let a tribal jirga mediate peace but demanded that the military operation in South Waziristan, other tribal areas and Swat be stopped.

Baitullah’s spokesman Maulvi Omar told Dawn that the militant leader had given full authority to his men in Bajaur and Mohmand tribal regions to negotiate a peace deal with the government.

He said that a jirga comprising Malik Abdul Aziz from Bajaur, Malik Saifur Rehman and Malik Masood from South Waziristan and some elders from Swat had held talks with Baitullah. The jirga will now hold talks with the government.Malik Aziz, a pro-government tribal elder who once led the Bajaur grand jirga to negotiate a deal with militants in his area, was injured in a roadside blast in November last year but is said to have recovered.

The spokesman said that Baitullah had set an end to the military operation as a pre-condition for any peace negotiation with the government.

“The jirga will speak to the government and then return to us,” he added.Maulvi Omar pointed out that his men would continue to press their earlier demands -- release of Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz and other militants who are in government custody.—Correspondent