Pakistani militant leader vows to continue struggle for Sharia

Peshawar: A fugitive Pakistani militant leader welcomed the release of a prominent pro-Taliban cleric, but vowed on Tuesday to continue an armed struggle for Islamic law in the country's northwest despite the signing of a peace accord.

The cleric, Sufi Muhammad, was released on Monday from six years in custody. The government of North West Frontier Province said Muhammad's group signed a pact renouncing violence in return for being allowed to peacefully campaign for Islamic law.

It was the first major step by the new government to talk peace with militants and break with US-backed President Pervez Musharraf's policy of using force.

But Muslim Khan, a spokesman for Muhammad's son-in-law Maulana Fazlullah, whose supporters battled security forces for control of the northwest's Swat Valley last year, said
the fighters allied with the wanted militant would not cease their battle.

"We welcome the release of Sufi Muhammad, but we will only lay down arms when the government would enforce Sharia," Khan said.

Pakistan's army spokesman, Major General Athar Abbas, also said that no decision had been made to withdraw the army from Swat.