April 27, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 20, 1429

TANK, April 26: Security forces have lifted the siege of certain areas in the Mehsud territory while military sources acknowledged that a peace agreement between the government and the Mehsud tribes was to be signed shortly.

A pamphlet circulated on behalf of the Pakistan Army in Jandola, South Waziristan, on Saturday said that the military had opened all roads linking the volatile tribal region with the rest of the country to facilitate the movement of people and to help restore normalcy.

In view of the troubles faced by the people of South Waziristan, the government and the Mehsud tribes were close to signing a peace agreement, the pamphlet written in Urdu and circulated reportedly by the army said.

It said the military had been holding fire after clearing the area of militants even before the signing of the proposed accord.

It called upon the people in South Waziristan and adjoining districts to discharge their responsibility by getting rid of miscreants.

The army had set up checkpoints on all roads leading to the disturbed region following an operation against militant commander Baituallah Mehsud in January.

Baitullah, who heads the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, has ordered his fighters to stop all activities forthwith to help the government restore peace in tribal areas and settled districts of the NWFP.

The tribal interlocutors were now in talks with the government following which a peace agreement would be signed, Maulavi Omar said.