TIMERGARA: Maulana Sufi Muhammad, chief of the defunct Tehrik Nifaz-e- Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM), accused the government of violating the Swat peace deal by launching military operations in Maidan, Dir and Buner.

He made the remarks while addressing a gathering of Maidan elders, notables and political workers held at his seminary in Kumbar area of Maidan on Thursday. More than two hundred elders attended the gathering.

Sufi Muhammad, who appeared for the first time after the operation started on Sunday, said he would immediately resume talks with the government if troops stopped the military operation both in Dir and Buner.

'The government has violated the peace deal by starting military operations and sending troops to the area,' he alleged, adding that he has always extended cooperation with the government to stop the Taliban from their activities. At the same time he alleged that the government always imposed war on Taliban.

Talking about the ongoing operation against militants in Dir and Buner Sufi Muhammad said the war would increase Talibanization in the region instead of eliminating it.
 
'I had promised with the government to establish complete peace here after the enforcement of Nizam-i-Adl regulation with letter and spirit but the government failed to do that. Now I ask the government to restore complete peace in the region we will give up the demand of Sharia enforcement. I will demand it from the next government,' he said.

About the future of the Swat peace deal, he said he was going to Amandara, the TNSM headquarters, where he would resume talks with the government on the condition of ending operations in Dir and Swat.

'There should be no fruitless talks. I am not in favour of that. If the government is sincere to restore peace in the region it should talk conclusively,' Sufi Muhammad said.

He demanded of the government to pay compensation to the victims of the operation and take measures to bring back the displaced people of Maidan.