September 01, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 29, 1429

MINGORA, Aug 31: The Swat chapter of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan rejected the government’s offer of ceasefire on Sunday and vowed that they would continue attacks on security forces and government installations during the holy month of Ramazan.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan told Dawn by phone from an undisclosed location termed that government’s truce offer in Ramazan a joke. “All months are holy and there is no such concept of holy or unholy in Islam,” he said.

He said if the government was sincere in talks and wanted permanent end to ongoing fighting then it should come forward with permanent solution by halting operation, withdrawing troops and enforcing Islamic Sharia in the region.

The spokesman said Taliban struggle for enforcement of Sharia would continue till its logical end. He said they would stop fighting only on the directives of their central shura. “The TTP central leadership had not given us clear directives regarding the government’s offer,” he said.

Meanwhile, security forces backed by helicopter gunships and artillery pounded Barabanda, Zora, Ningolai of tehsil Matta, and Kot, Manglawar and other areas of upper Charbagh tehsil.

A shell hit the house of a councillor, Khurshid Ali, injuring his seven-year-old niece Zakira. Residents of the area said that some other nearby houses were also damaged in the shelling.

A child identified as Barkatullah son of Danish in Barabandai and a young man identified as Sardar son of Fazal Khaliq were injured in the shelling. The injured were taken to Saidu Sharif hospital.

Meanwhile, militants first set on fire and then blew up four houses of the family of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid local leader Haroonur Rashid in Koza Banda tehsil Kabal.

The blasts were so powerful that the sound of the explosions was heard in far flung areas of tehsil Kabal inflicting huge losses on the owners of the residences. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosions.

The residences were vacated by the inmates due to the fear of militants’ attack.

Sikandar Khan, the grand son of Haroonur Rashid, was injured and two of his guards were killed in militants attack a few days ago.

Meanwhile, the people of Shakar Darra have declared war against the militants by taking arms. Led by Advocate Ibrahim Shah they have started patrolling the streets of the village. They vowed that entry of Taliban to the area would be resisted with full force.