July 16, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 12, 1429

KOHAT, July 15: A jirga formed by the provincial government has failed to persuade militants and security forces to agree to a ceasefire and hold peace talks.

Meanwhile, curfew continued for the fifth day in Doaba amid reports that Taliban have intensified their activities in the region.

The militants are patrolling roads and threatening owners of CD shops, while police are reported to have confined themselves to stations and vacated all checkposts, ostensibly for fear of kidnapping.

Squads of militants are searching passengers on roads, including the Thall-Parachinar road. Neither the troops nor police personnel are seen doing anything to restore the government’s writ in the area.

Local branches of all banks remained closed because their staff have not returned since the weekend. The business community is complaining about a serious shortage of cash in the market.

The head of the 12-member Jirga, MNA Pir Haider Ali Shah, told Dawn that the Taliban leadership had categorically stated that a ceasefire would be possible only if security forces pulled out of the area and the operation was stopped.

“But unfortunately the civil administration which called in the army for help in curbing activities of the militants is helpless because it has handed over the command to the military. It is strange that the military which is supposed to work under the local administration is not prepared to accept any authority except that of its own,” he said.

Now the administration has asked the jirga to get orders from the higher authorities to restrain the army from continuing the operation, saying that on its own is not in a position and expressed its inability to give any assurance about a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the militants have released the nazim of Dalan union council, Mr Abdul Aziz, who was kidnapped on Friday.

At least 29 personnel of the Kurram militia and Pakistan army and some officials of government departments are still in the custody of Taliban who are threatening to kill them one by one if their three members were not released and army was not withdrawn from the area.

After intervention by the jirga, they agreed not to carry out the threat of killing the hostages for some time.