PESHAWAR, Feb 3: An unofficial ceasefire agreed between security forces and militants has been holding ground in the troubled South Waziristan tribal region since Saturday, according to a tribal parliamentarian.
However, the ISPR denies there has been any truce and says that security forces are advancing and pursuing their operation against militants in the Mehsud-dominated areas.
ISPR Director General Maj-Gen Athar Abbas told Dawn that incidents of intermittent firing had been taking place in the area and there was no ceasefire.
“Not at all, forces are consolidating their positions in the region and operation is still going on.”
Senator Saleh Shah told this correspondent that the ceasefire between security forces and supporters of Baitullah Mehsud had been holding since Saturday. “The ceasefire has not been officially announced, but fighting has stopped now,” he claimed.
He said that back-door talks were under way to bring the two sides to the negotiation table. Locals said that the guns had been silent over the past two days.Troops, backed by tanks and helicopters, had launched an operation against the militants in several areas of the Mehsud tribe last month, killing scores of militants. Many soldiers also lost their lives. Hundreds of local people were displaced by the conflict.
Meanwhile, sources said that the government had decided to establish a relief camp at Azam Kot in the Frontier Region of Jandola for the displaced people.
A large number of families are still fleeing the conflict-hit areas and heading towards Tank, Dera Ismail Khan and the adjoining North Waziristan tribal region.
An official said that the political administration of South Waziristan had asked the Fata Secretariat, Peshawar, to provide some 5,000 tents for the displaced people to be sheltered in the proposed relief camp.
Relief activities are likely to be started in the camp from Monday and the displaced people would be provided tents, food and health facilities.
He said that even 10,000 tents would not be enough keeping in view the continuing influx of people. Many of the families had taken shelter with their relatives.
The authorities would provide relief goods only to the families which would register themselves with the authorities.
The senator said that roughly 150,000 people had left their homes in the Mehsud areas and moved to other areas. He said that people in Tiarza tehsil, Berwand, Sararogha, and Kaniguram had left their homes for safer places because of relentless shelling. A large number of people have migrated to Karachi and Hyderabad.
