MINGORA, Feb 24: The Taliban announced on Tuesday an unconditional ceasefire for an indefinite period and ordered militants to stop attacks on security forces. They also asked all NGOs to leave Swat.

After the ceasefire announcement, the militants released seven police and FC personnel.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of the central Shura of Tehrik-i-Taliban Swat held somewhere in Matta tehsil. It was presided over by Swat Taliban chief Maulana Fazlullah who announced the decisions on his FM radio.

The meeting discussed proposals of Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad who had asked the Taliban to halt attacks on security forces, end road blockades and dismantle checkpoints to pave way for lasting peace in the valley.

Taliban spokesman Haji Muslim Khan told reporters on the phone that the meeting had agreed to change the 10-day truce into an indefinite ceasefire.

The freed FC and police personnel are Khyal Mohammad, Farooquddin, Nasir, Payo Gul, Sher Zaman, Akbar Khan and Irfanullah.

In his radio address, Maulana Fazlullah ordered his followers to stop patrolling streets and markets, attacking security personnel and kidnapping government officials. However, he said the Taliban would keep their weapons but would not carry them in public.

He announced a ban on activities of non-governmental organisations and asked them to leave Swat because they were a hurdle to the peace process.

The Maulana warned the government against sending additional security forces to Swat and said the movement of army should be restricted to specified places. The ration for troops should be in a specified quantity and for a specified period, he added.

The Maulana constituted a two-member committee comprising his commanders Mehmood Khan and Mohammad Alam Engineer to monitor the supply of ration for troops.

He authorised his father-in-law Maulana Sufi Mohammad, the TNSM chief, to determine the qualification of judges under the Nizam-i-Adl regulation and oversee their appointment.

This goes against the government’s demand that the power to appoint judges would rest with it and the new appointees would be law officers conversant with Islamic jurisprudence.

He allowed the TNSM to hold public meetings and said his men would provide security for such gatherings.

Meanwhile, the situation in Swat continued to improve and all private schools, including those for girls, and banks, offices and markets in Mingora and other towns in the south opened for the second day on Tuesday.

However, government schools for girls remained closed.

In the upper parts of the district, including Kabal, Matta and Charbagh, schools, offices and banks remained closed.

Several areas in the valley are without electricity.