ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: Pakistan on Tuesday defended a peace pact reached with militants in North Waziristan, terming statements against it part of a propaganda campaign. It added that the signatories had no links with the Taliban who are fighting western forces in Afghanistan.

NWFP Governor Ali Mohammed Jan Aurakzai said the pact had brought peace. He conceded that between 150 and 200 foreign militants were still living in the region, but said that the number had dropped since 2004.

His comments came a day after the International Crisis Group think-tank issued a report claiming that the pact had created a virtual Taliban mini-state where militants dispensed justice and fighters were launching cross-border attacks into Afghanistan.

“I would say everyone has won because of this agreement, it's a win for the tribesmen, it's a win for the government, for the country and the people,” the governor said in an interview with the state-run Pakistan Television on Tuesday.

“There was a situation when there was fighting and both sides suffered casualties, soldiers were martyred, the other side suffered casualties and damage. But at last when you sit for talks and the matter is over then you accept each other as friends,” he said.

Mr Aurakzai insisted that the peace agreement was concluded with tribesmen and seminary students who had no links with the Taliban in Afghanistan. “Their leader is not Mullah Mohammed Omar,” he said, referring to the chief of the former Taliban regime ousted by US-led forces in Afghanistan in 2001. “They are Pakistani Tulaba (seminary students).” He also denied that militants had set up courts in the area.

In Washington, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Mehmood Ali Durrani rejected the ICG report about Pakistan having failed in countering the Taliban and termed it mere propaganda, Online news agency said.

Speaking at a press conference at the Pakistani embassy here, Mr Durrani said normalcy was returning in Waziristan following the peace pact three months ago.—Agencies