July 25, 2008	Friday	Rajab 21, 1429

KOHAT, July 24: A grand jirga, representing the Taliban, and Kohat’s regional coordination officer, who represented the authorities, signed a ceasefire agreement on Thursday and decided to resolve through talks all disputes arising out of the Hangu operation.

Local people and members of the jirga termed it a satisfying development and announced support for the local administration and the government.

The jirga held a meeting with Orakzai Agency’s political agent Kamran Zeb and informed him that Taliban would be allowed to stay in the tribal area on condition that they would stop meddling in the affairs of state and refrain from imposing their own laws and punishments.

They also met Kohat’s regional coordination officer Omer Khan Afridi.

According to officials, displaced people of Hangu would be allowed to return to their homes after the lifting of curfew and assessment of the law and order situation.

The jirga included MPA Mufti Sayed Janan, district nazim Khan Afzal, Haji Faizullah, Hussain Asghar and Maulana Fazal Wahab.

They later proceeded to Tirah Valley for talks with Taliban leader Mohammad Karim Khan.

Talking to Dawn on phone, MNA Pir Haider Ali Shah supported the ceasefire agreement and said the main obstacle to peace talks between the jirga and Taliban had been removed. He said concerns of both sides would be discussed at various levels from time to time and disputes would be resolved for restoration of normality in the region.

“The first priority of the jirga will be to get hostages released from the custody of Taliban and to free their three high-profile comrades out of the seven arrested from Doaba,” he said, adding that “the next step will be to ask the military to withdraw from the area if Taliban give assurance that they will not challenge the writ of the government again”.

He said there should be no harm in releasing the seven arrested Taliban, including Rafiuddin, the No 2 of Baitullah Mesud, if there were no criminal cases pending against them. He made it clear that only a court, and not the administration or police, could decide about their fate.

Pir Haider Ali called upon the Taliban to release the 28 hostages, mostly government employees and security personnel, as a goodwill gesture.

He said the NWFP government had played an important role in breaking the deadlock. The ANP-led government believed in resolving disputes through talks and was against use of force, he said, adding that the elected representatives would ask the government to pay compensation to people who were affected during the operation in the area.