US offer to gain release of troops rejected

Islamabad: President Pervez Musharraf has rejected a US offer for help in securing the release of the abducted soldiers in the tribal area, underlining that the option of negotiations was being utilised for their safe release.

"The Pakistani security forces have the ability and are fully equipped to deal with the situation," the president said while talking to the visiting US assistant secretary for South Asia Richard Boucher here yesterday.

Reliable sources told Gulf News that Boucher appreciated the sacrifices of the Pakistani armed forces in the war on terror, particularly in the tribal area, and offered US help.

Jirga talks

Meanwhile, a 21-member jirga has once again started negotiations with Taliban after reaching Ladha in the South Waziristan Agency to seek the release of over 200 securitymen, kidnapped on August 28.

The fourth round of talks began yesterday after the jirga, comprising elders of the agency, reached Ladha.

Earlier the jirga's members held a series of parleys with political administration in the agency's headquarters at Wana. Jirga member Senator Saleh Shah told Gulf News that efforts are on to seek the safe release of the 200 kidnapped soldiers.

Militants have threatened to kill the soldiers if their talks with the Jirga failed.

However, insiders said that Taliban could start releasing the soldiers in phases in the next couple of days.