This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7891955.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Pakistan agrees Sharia law deal | Pakistan agrees Sharia law deal |
(30 minutes later) | |
Pakistan has signed a peace deal with a Taleban group that will lead to the enforcement of the Islamic Sharia law in the restive Swat valley. | Pakistan has signed a peace deal with a Taleban group that will lead to the enforcement of the Islamic Sharia law in the restive Swat valley. |
Regional officials urged the Taleban, who agreed a 10-day truce on Sunday, to lay down their arms permanently. | |
Once one of Pakistan's most popular holiday destinations, the Swat valley is now mostly under Taleban control. | Once one of Pakistan's most popular holiday destinations, the Swat valley is now mostly under Taleban control. |
Thousands of people have fled and hundreds of schools have been destroyed since the Taleban insurgency in 2007. | Thousands of people have fled and hundreds of schools have been destroyed since the Taleban insurgency in 2007. |
Chief Minister of North West Frontier Province Ameer Hussain Hoti announced a bill had been signed that would implement a new "order of justice" in the Malakand division, which includes Swat. | |
The bill will create a separate system of justice for the whole region. | |
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan, who was recently in Swat, says the Taleban had already set up their own system of Islamic justice, as they understand it. | |
Their campaign against female education has led to tens of thousands of children being denied an education, our correspondent says. | Their campaign against female education has led to tens of thousands of children being denied an education, our correspondent says. |
'Very positive' | 'Very positive' |
The government of North West Frontier Province had been holding talks with local militant leader, Sufi Mohammad, on making amendments to the enforcement of Sharia in Swat. | The government of North West Frontier Province had been holding talks with local militant leader, Sufi Mohammad, on making amendments to the enforcement of Sharia in Swat. |
Sufi Mohammad, a pro-Taleban cleric, is the father-in-law of Maulana Fazlullah, who has been waging a violent campaign to impose Sharia in the region. | |
[The deal] was reached after realisation that it was the demand of the people Ameer Hussain Hoti, NWFP chief minister Mr Hoti said: "An agreement has been reached with Sufi Mohammad's delegation and this is a great breakthrough. | |
"The recommendations and proposals have been finalised, but they can only be implemented after peace is achieved." | |
Mr Hoti said President Asif Ali Zardari had "in principle... approved this package". | |
Mr Hoti said the agreement had not been made "under pressure from anyone" and was not unconstitutional. | |
"It was reached after realisation that it was the demand of the people." | |
The chief minister said the government had done all it could and asked for the Taleban to now lay down their arms. | |
He said a grand jirga (council) led by Sufi Mohammad would now be going to Swat to get all the factions to comply. | |
The Taleban have said they will examine the document before ending hostilities permanently. | |
Many people have fled Swat to be in safer parts of Pakistan | Many people have fled Swat to be in safer parts of Pakistan |
The Agence France-Presse news agency quoted Sufi Mohammad as saying: "We had been holding negotiations with the government on a 22-point charter of demands for quite some time. There were differences on five points, which were removed in a meeting on Sunday." | |
Sharia law has been in force in Malakand since 1994. But appeal cases are heard in the Peshawar high court, which operates under the civil code. | |
Our correspondent says there will be alterations to the appeals process - a point of contention often cited by the militants for their continued insurgency. | |
The agreement will bind the provincial government to implement Sharia law in the Malakand division, which comprises Swat and its adjoining areas. | The agreement will bind the provincial government to implement Sharia law in the Malakand division, which comprises Swat and its adjoining areas. |
The people of Swat have been caught in the crossfire between the army and the Taleban, our correspondent says. | The people of Swat have been caught in the crossfire between the army and the Taleban, our correspondent says. |
More than 1,000 civilians have died in shelling by the army or from beheadings sanctioned by the Taleban. Thousands more have been displaced. | More than 1,000 civilians have died in shelling by the army or from beheadings sanctioned by the Taleban. Thousands more have been displaced. |
The Taleban now control the entire countryside of Swat, limiting army control to parts of the valley's capital, Mingora. | The Taleban now control the entire countryside of Swat, limiting army control to parts of the valley's capital, Mingora. |
Many people in Swat now would favour an early exit by the army as they have failed to roll back the Taleban or protect the Taleban's opponents, says our correspondent. | Many people in Swat now would favour an early exit by the army as they have failed to roll back the Taleban or protect the Taleban's opponents, says our correspondent. |