MINGORA, Sept 29: The Swat Taliban have offered to release two Chinese engineers in exchange for 136 jailed militants. They also declared a unilateral ceasefire till the third day of Eidul Fitr.

Speaking to journalists on phone from an unspecified place on Monday, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said that the kidnapped engineers of a private Chinese cellular company were ‘safe’ in their custody.

He said that the Chinese embassy had been assured that the engineers would be set free as soon as the government released 136 Taliban.

Muslim Khan said the Taliban had rejected the draft Shariah regulations because they were not in accordance with the injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

The provincial government had presented a copy of the amended Nizam-i-Adl regulations to Mualana Sufi Mohammad, chief of Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi.

The spokesman said that Sufi Mohammad would take a decision on the draft regulations after a thorough debate by the central Shura of Tehrik Taliban’s Swat chapter on the second day of Eid.

He said the Taliban could not guarantee peace in the region if the Shariah laws were not implemented.

Muslim Khan said that although the Taliban had announced the ceasefire till the third day of Eid, they would retaliate if attacked by security forces.

Meanwhile, the National Bank branch in Matta Chowk was set ablaze late on Sunday night by robbers who looted gold worth over Rs56.5 million.

All records, furniture and valuables were reduced to ashes. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to reports from Siej Banr and Wenai, militants attacked positions of security forces but were repulsed.

Police and Frontier Corps personnel resumed patrolling in Mingora on Monday after five days and took positions at various points.