MINGORA, March 11 Seven qazis were posted in the district for effective enforcement of the proposed Nizam-i-Adl regulation after another successful round of negotiations between the government and Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi (TNSM).

TNSM chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad expressed satisfaction over the development stating that the seven qazis, who he claimed were well-versed in Islamic Sharia, would assume offices on Thursday.

He asked the Taliban that as the government had fulfilled its commitment of enforcing Islamic Sharia, therefore they should abandon their activities.

Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that the NWFP governor and chief minister had signed the summary for promulgation of the Nizam-i-Adl regulation and soon the president would also approve it.

Provincial ministers Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Wajid Ali Khan, Malakand Commissioner Syed Mohammad Jawed, Swat DCO Khushal Khan, Maulana Sufi Mohammad, TNSM vice chief Maulana Mohammad Alam, its spokesperson Amir Izzat Khan, member of Swat Peace Jirga Sher Muhammad Khan, a representative of Taliban Mahmood Khan and others participated in the two-day negotiations.

The seven qazis -- Peerzada Noor Mohammad Shah, Riaz Ali Khan, Mohammad Rasool, Sajjad Rehman, Mohammad Rehman, Ahsanur Rehman and Umer Ali -- were appointed as ilaqa qazi in 1994 by the then provincial government of Aftab Ahmad Sherpao when the Nifaz-i-Nizam-i-Sharia Regulation was introduced to appease Maulana Sufi at that time. From time-to-time their contract was extended by the government.

Addressing a press conference, Maulana Sufi Mohammad said that after appointment of the genuine qazis there was no room left for the regular judges and lawyers to run the judicial affairs in the area.

These qazis would function in areas of Babuzai, Matta, Khwazakhela, Behrain and Barikot. “I myself will examine the verdicts to be delivered by these qazis as I am a propagator of Shariat-i-Muhammadi,” he said adding that in Islamic Sharia there was no room for female judges.

“Soon security forces would shift to safe locations and rest of the imprisoned persons arrested during the operation would be released,” he said.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain, while talking to journalsits, said that they would enforce Nizam-i-Adl regulation at all costs as per the commitment made with the people of Swat.

He said that the government had already released 12 prisoners and would release other prisoners also after scrutinising their cases.

The minister said that in the first stage the qazi courts would function in Swat district which would serve as model and would be replicated in other districts of Malakand later on.

He claimed that 80 per cent of the peace had returned to Swat whereas they had been taking steps for restoration of rest of the 20 per cent.

JUDICIAL WORKSHOP The two-day workshop for judicial officers, who would serve as qazis in Malakand region, concluded here on Wednesday.

Prominent religious scholars and experts of Sharia delivered their papers to the judicial officers including district and sessions judges (zila qazi) and senior civil judges (aala ilaqa qazi).

Peshawar High Court Registrar Qalander Ali Khan also addressed the officers and expressed the hope that they would rise to the occasion and meet the expectations of people.

Prominent among the speakers were Maulana Emad Khan, Dr Ziaullah, Noorul Haq Zahori, Maulana Hussain Ahmad, Mushtaq Ahmad and Jalaludddin Khan.