Pakistani Cleric Offers Plan for Swat Valley Peace

TNSM Leader Urges TTP, Govt to Abide by Deal

by Jason Ditz, February 23, 2009

Sufi Muhammad, the influential cleric that is the head of the Tehreek-e Nafaz-e Shariat-e Mohammadi (TNSM) as well as a major force behind the Swat Valley truce, held a press conference today to outline a 10-point plan to ensure that the peace holds.

Muhammad made several demands of both the Pakistani government as well as the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in the region, who announced a permanent ceasefire in the region this weekend. He wants the TTP to remove all their checkpoints from the region, and to not display their arms when in the Swat Valley, and the military to stop its operations and remove its troops from area schools.

Beyond that, Muhammad called on both sides to release their prisoners, and called on the provincial government to provide immediate compensation to the Swati people. So far neither side has responded to the plan, but Muhammad’s popularity in the region makes him a tough man to ignore.

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