Army to ensure government's writ is established

Islamabad: Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani has made it clear that his troops will ensure that government's writ is established all over the restive Swat region.

Kiyani made the remarks while addressing troops in an unscheduled visit to the valley on Wednesday where Pakistani Taliban loyal to hardline cleric Maulana Fazlullah are engaged in a bitter fight with the army.

"We will establish government's writ in Swat and Pakistan Army is fully capable of achieving this goal," Kiyani said.

The government was recently taken aback when the Fazlullah announced plans to prosecute 47 legislators and influential people in the area in Taliban courts for cooperating with the government.

Tahreek e Tliban Swat, headed by Fazlullah, is demanding enforcement of Islamic Sharia Law in the valley and Malakand division of North West Frontier Province, an area that borders Afghanistan.

A Taliban spokesman meanwhile assured that the 47 people of Swat who have been summoned to their courts will be treated judiciously when they surrender themselves. "A committee of Islamic scholars will hear them out and then decide to award them punishment or free them with honour. The Taliban won't interfere in the judicial process," Muslim Khan chief spokesman of Swat Taliban announced.

He brushed aside the criticism by Awami National Party Chief Aswandyar Wali who has termed the Taliban courts as unlawful. "We don't care about Asfandyar or politicians of his ilk who are here to promote Washington's agenda," Khan said.