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| Pakistan 'Taleban' in peace deal | Pakistan 'Taleban' in peace deal |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Pakistan has signed a deal with pro-Taleban militants on the Afghan border aimed at ending years of unrest. | Pakistan has signed a deal with pro-Taleban militants on the Afghan border aimed at ending years of unrest. |
| The North Waziristan accord calls on tribesmen to expel foreign militants and end cross-border attacks in return for a reduced military presence. | The North Waziristan accord calls on tribesmen to expel foreign militants and end cross-border attacks in return for a reduced military presence. |
| Tens of thousands of Pakistani troops are fighting foreign Islamic militants and their local supporters in the country's restive tribal belt. | Tens of thousands of Pakistani troops are fighting foreign Islamic militants and their local supporters in the country's restive tribal belt. |
| Hundreds of people have been killed in violence in North Waziristan this year. | Hundreds of people have been killed in violence in North Waziristan this year. |
| I believe this is a cardinal mistake to believe that Waziristan is the only centre of terrorist activity Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/5317196.stm" class="">Report slates Afghan efforts href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/5313376.stm" class="">Nato mission under pressure Send us your views | |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says some observers believe the deal offers the government an exit from a military strategy that has largely failed. | The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says some observers believe the deal offers the government an exit from a military strategy that has largely failed. |
| Dozens of soldiers have been killed in North Waziristan over the past year and local support for the Taleban seems to have increased rather than decreased, she says. | Dozens of soldiers have been killed in North Waziristan over the past year and local support for the Taleban seems to have increased rather than decreased, she says. |
| Meanwhile, a major offensive by Nato-led forces in the Panjwayi district in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar is pushing Taleban fighters into a corner, Nato officials say. | Meanwhile, a major offensive by Nato-led forces in the Panjwayi district in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar is pushing Taleban fighters into a corner, Nato officials say. |
| Tuesday saw more artillery barrages and air strikes, although the fighting is less intensive than over the weekend when Nato says 200 militants were killed - a figure disputed by the Taleban, who say many of the casualties were civilians. | Tuesday saw more artillery barrages and air strikes, although the fighting is less intensive than over the weekend when Nato says 200 militants were killed - a figure disputed by the Taleban, who say many of the casualties were civilians. |
| Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer is in Afghanistan to assess progress in the alliance's mission to stabilise the south, and will meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday. | Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer is in Afghanistan to assess progress in the alliance's mission to stabilise the south, and will meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday. |
| 'Strategy failed' | 'Strategy failed' |
| The agreement brokered by a grand council (jirga) of tribal elders in North Waziristan is the first of its kind since Pakistani troops went after Taleban and al-Qaeda elements on the Afghan border. | The agreement brokered by a grand council (jirga) of tribal elders in North Waziristan is the first of its kind since Pakistani troops went after Taleban and al-Qaeda elements on the Afghan border. |
| Taleban stronghold href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/5190244.stm" class="">Musharraf's 'crisis' | |
| Senior army officers and militants hugged and congratulated each other after signing the agreement at a college football ground in Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan region. | Senior army officers and militants hugged and congratulated each other after signing the agreement at a college football ground in Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan region. |
| Details of the deal signed by the two sides were given in a brief speech by local MP Haji Nek Zaman, a member of the council of elders which was authorised to negotiate on behalf of the Pakistani government. | Details of the deal signed by the two sides were given in a brief speech by local MP Haji Nek Zaman, a member of the council of elders which was authorised to negotiate on behalf of the Pakistani government. |
| Under the accord, the Pakistani military promises to end major operations in the area. | Under the accord, the Pakistani military promises to end major operations in the area. |
| It will pull most of its soldiers back to military camps, but will still operate border check-points. | It will pull most of its soldiers back to military camps, but will still operate border check-points. |
| Tribal elders held weeks of consultations | Tribal elders held weeks of consultations |
| Over the summer the military met other conditions, releasing a number of tribesmen in an apparent goodwill gesture to the militants and withdrawing soldiers from new check-posts. | Over the summer the military met other conditions, releasing a number of tribesmen in an apparent goodwill gesture to the militants and withdrawing soldiers from new check-posts. |
| Local Taleban supporters, in turn, have pledged not to harbour foreign militants, launch cross-border raids or attack Pakistani government troops or facilities. | Local Taleban supporters, in turn, have pledged not to harbour foreign militants, launch cross-border raids or attack Pakistani government troops or facilities. |
| Observers say meeting these conditions could be difficult, as the Taleban has support on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghan border. | Observers say meeting these conditions could be difficult, as the Taleban has support on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghan border. |
| Afghan unease | Afghan unease |
| The agreement comes shortly ahead of a visit by President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan to Afghanistan. | The agreement comes shortly ahead of a visit by President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan to Afghanistan. |
| Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have been strained in recent months because of differences in tackling what both refer to as cross-border terrorism. | Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have been strained in recent months because of differences in tackling what both refer to as cross-border terrorism. |
| Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta said the peace deal in North Waziristan was not enough on its own. | Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta said the peace deal in North Waziristan was not enough on its own. |
| "I believe this is a cardinal mistake to believe that Waziristan is the only centre of terrorist activity," he told the BBC. | "I believe this is a cardinal mistake to believe that Waziristan is the only centre of terrorist activity," he told the BBC. |
| "I think it is [in] a lot of other places in our region and a lot of organisations and also madrassas [religious schools], that they are the centre of terrorist activity." | "I think it is [in] a lot of other places in our region and a lot of organisations and also madrassas [religious schools], that they are the centre of terrorist activity." |