TIMERGARA, April 1: Members of a peace jirga of Maidan, Lower Dir, have claimed that NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haidar Khan Hoti has assured them to release the jailed chief of the defunct Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM), Maulana Sufi Mohammad, who has been admitted to a Peshawar hospital for surgery.

Led by Badshah Sardar, jirga members Behroz Khan, Prof Akram Khan, Sher Mohammad, Hussain Shah Jan and Amanullah told Dawn here on Tuesday that they had met Mr Hoti the other day at the Shahi Mehman Khana in Peshawar and informed him of the people’s grievances over the delay in Sufi Mohammad’s release.

Sources in the defunct TNSM told Dawn that Sufi Mohammad wanted to play his role in bringing peace to the region, especially Swat and Bajaur. “The Maulana wants to lead a peace procession to Swat soon after his release to convince people to avoid any confrontation with law-enforcement agencies,” they added.

They said Maulana Sufi did not support the idea of militants, including his son-in-law Maulana Fazlullah, to enforce Sharia in Swat by use of force. “Sufi Mohammad believes in peaceful efforts for enforcement of Sharia in the Malakand region,” they said.

The jirga members said Mr Hoti had promised them to release Maulana Sufi soon. “We will give guarantee that the Maulana will remain peaceful (after his release),” they said.