Taliban Want To Be Recognized As Rulers Of Tribal Areas

The government of Pakistan has allowed the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan to hold a grand tribal jirga in Bajaur Agency, tribal areas situated on Pak-Afghan border. The Taliban leaders and some of its supporters urged the government to announce their Shariah as the law of tribal areas. It may be recalled that Pakistani prime minister has announced revoking the Frontier Crime Regulation through which tribal areas are government.

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and prominent tribal elders while welcoming the announcement of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani he made in the National Assembly revoking the infamous Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) Friday called for replacing this law through which tribal areas are being governed with Shariah.

"We want to convey a clear message to rulers of Pakistan that the people of tribal areas will only accept enforcement of Shariah in their areas," said Amir of TTP Bajaur Agency Maulana Faqir Muhammad while addressing grand tribal jirga of tribal elders organised by the TTP at Bar Kaley some 12 kilometers from Khar, the headquarter of Bajaur Agency. The jirga was also addressed by other Taliban leaders Dr Ismail, Maulana Sher Bahadar and Maulvi Omar. Those elders who attended the jirga are MNA Akhundzada Chittan, former MNA Haji Bismillah Khan, former MNA Haroon Rashid, ANP leader Gul Dad Khan, Malik Abdul Aziz, Malik Shah Jehan, Malik Mian Masood Jan, Omar Wahid, Malik Muhammad Ayaz, Malik Sultan Zeb and Malik Muhammadkhel.

Taliban leaders declared that their jihad against the coalition forces in Afghanistan would continue. "We will continue our jihad till liberating Iraq and Afghanistan from occupation forces," they said.
They said that Taliban are ready for talks with the new government as they were also favouring peace in their areas. "Those people who have been committing crimes in the areas have no relation with the Taliban movement," they said.

They demanded of the government to announce enforcement of Shariah in tribal areas as this was the demand of the people of the areas.
Later, an agreement was signed by the tribal elders and Taliban leaders. They resolved that they would launch a movement for forcing the government to accept their demand for enforcement of Shariah.
"We are not ready for any other law except Shariah," they said.
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