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Wana Taliban committed to peace deal: tribal elders

* Jirga assures political agent of co-operation in maintaining peace

PESHAWAR/WANA: Taliban leader Maulvi Nazir has committed to stick to a peace deal with the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes in South Waziristan, but has declined to hold direct negotiations with the government.

“A peace committee of the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes met the Taliban leader on Monday to seek assurance for peace in the Wazir areas and he committed to maintain peace,” tribal elders told Daily Times on Tuesday by phone from Wana, regional headquarters of South Waziristan.

“I want peace, but the government appears uninterested in peace in the Wazir areas. I will stick to the peace deal as long as the government does,” they quoted Nazir as telling the committee.

The Wazir tribes had struck a peace deal with Nazir who drove out Uzbek and Chechen Al Qaeda terrorists from Wana, Azam Warsak and Kaloosha towns early last year.

“Nazir was unwilling to meet the government or army officials in connection with keeping the peace deal intact. But we think the government is in contact with him,” the elders said.

According to the elders, who did not want to be named, the peace committee members also met senior administration officials.

“The government officials were taking interest in Nazir’s commitment and they said the government was also as interested as the others,” the elders quoted the administration officials, including the political agent, as saying.

Jirga: Meanwhile, the Online news agency reported that the Wazir tribes had assured the political agent in a grand jirga of co-operation in maintaining law and order.

According to details, the jirga was held in Lower Camp Wana, and more than 200 people from Wazir, Suleman Khel and Dotai tribes held negotiations with Political Agent Syed Shahab Ali Shah. The jirga was also attended by Assistant Political Agent Mowaz Khan.

The jirga demanded that the provincial governor visit Wana himself to assess law and order. It also invited government organisations to visit the area for starting development projects. Shah promised to revive the Annual Development Programme in the area. staff report/online

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