PESHAWAR, March 9: Maulana Sufi Mohammad, founder of the banned Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Mohammadi (TNSM), is expected to be released soon as negotiations between him and NWFP caretaker government about announcement of Shariah system in Malakand division are in final stages, it is learnt.

An official at home department pleading anonymity told Dawn that shifting of Maulana Sufi Mohammad from the D.I. Khan jail to Peshawar prison was aimed at seeking his help to normalise the turbulent situation in Swat. But time was wasted because of the illness of the jailed cleric, the official added.

The government, he said, was not willing to release him but the situation in Swat forced it to think on various options.