Islamabad, January 11
A Pakistani minister today offered trial in Pakistan to local and foreign militants surrendering in regions bordering Afghanistan.
“These (foreign terrorists) hiding out in the south Waziristan border region to Afghanistan will not be sent to Guantanamo bay. If they turn themselves in, we’ll make sure the trial will take place inside Pakistan,” said Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed
His remarks came against the backdrop of a deadline set by Pakistani authorities for a local tribe to surrender three tribesmen who allegedly provided shelter to Al-Qaeda and Taliban fugitives.
The tribes have, however, refused so far to hand over the three.
In order to press the Ahmedzai Wazir tribe for their custody, the Pakistan army and paramilitary troops on Thursday launched an operation which resulted in the death of four soldiers.
Meanwhile, reports from WANA, administrative headquarters of the tribal agency, say hundreds of troops, mostly commandos, had been moved into the region before the deadline expires tomorrow.
Pakistan’s border region comprises seven semi-autonomous tribal regions where the central government has limited authority and can intervene only through a special set of laws. Under these laws, the federal authorities move in only after the local tribal chieftains fail to comply with the government demands.
The area snakes along the Pakistan-Afghan border and is suspected by the Afghan authorities to be a hideout for the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda operatives being hunted by the Afghan and US troops. —
DPA
