PESHAWAR, Jan 31: Tribal negotiators have handed the government the draft of a six-point peace agreement that seeks to stamp out foreign militants from the restive South Waziristan tribal region, sources said.
The draft agreement, to be signed by notables from Dre-Mehsud representing all the three main sub-clans of the Mehsud tribe and the government, is to be discussed and given a final shape at a meeting on Tuesday.
NWFP Governor Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah will be heading what might be the final round of talks with notables of the Mehsud tribe. Corps Commander, Peshawar, Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain is also likely to attend the meeting.
The sources, who have seen the draft agreement, said they found it 'very good' and 'all-encompassing'. "It will give the government much leverage concerning the issue of foreign militants and their protectors and vest the Mehsud tribe with a responsibility," the sources said.
However, some government circles appear to hold the view that the language of the draft is a bit loose and needs to be tightened up to provide for the possibility of a future military operation.
"It is precisely for this reason that the Dre-Mehsud jirga has been called to Peshawar to meet the governor and address the government's concerns," the sources added.
The opening statement of the draft said that Dre-Mehsud were signing the deal after securing pledges and commitments from Baitullah Mehsud, the commander of 'mujahideen' in South Waziristan.
It added that Baitullah and his comrades would neither give shelter to nor assist any foreign militants in South Waziristan. It undertakes that militants would neither fire at any government functionary, nor damage any government installation, nor create any hurdle in development activity.
The draft agreement says that the militant commander and his comrades would be exempted from punitive action for their past deeds. However, those violating the peace agreement would be proceeded against under the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).
The Dre-Mehsud have undertaken to hand over anyone wanted to the government. Although the draft agreement does not mention the most wanted militant, Abdullah Mehsud, by name, it does, however, say that those who do not come within the purview of the deal would be handed over to the government to be proceeded against in accordance with the Riwaj (tribal custom) and the law (FCR).
The last point of the draft provides for the resolution of any unresolved matter in the future through consultation between the government and Dre-Mehsud.