Capitulation. “Pakistan considers Taliban rule in volatile valley – Summary,” from Deutsche Presse Agentur :
Islamabad – Pakistan is considering enforcement of Islamic laws in Pakistan’s north-western Swat valley to meet the demands of pro-Taliban militants who briefly seized and then released around 100 security personnel after nine days’ fierce fighting that left more than 200 people dead. “The government is considering the implementation of Sharia law in the view of the demands of the local people,” said Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai, governor of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) in which the valley is situated.
“We are trying to resolve the issue through negotiations but if required force will also be used,” the DawnNews channel cited him as saying.
The statement came as the Islamic militants said they had released 120 soldiers captured after the clashes in Swat, some 160 kilometres from the NWFP capital Peshawar.
“They have gone to their home towns and they have promised not to work with the security forces in the future,” the militants’ spokesman Maulana Sirajuddin told reporters.
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“We did not want to fight these Muslim brothers (militants) who are striving for the enforcement of Islamic sharia (law),” a captive told reporters before the release.