Taliban summons politicians to Swat Valley court hearings

Islamabad: The Pakistani Taliban in Swat valley (NWFP) have summoned 47 politicians, legislators and influentials of the valley and adjoining areas to their courts in order to try them for allegedly working with the government and turning the valley into a battleground.

The list includes names of politicians and legislators who belong to ruling Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), PPP (Sherpao), Pakistan Muslim League (Q), and Jamiat ulle Islam (F).

PML-Q, NWFP President, Amir Muqam, provincial ministers, Wajid Ali Khan, and Ayub Sharey, legislators Dr Shamsher Ali, Dr Haider Ali, Muzafar Al Mulk and district Nazim Swat Jamal Nasser Khan are prominent amongst these summoned people.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said influentials have been summoned so that they could clarify their position before the Taliban court of law.

"If they fail to produce themselves before the court, they will be targeted in due course," he warned.

Muslim Khan alleged that these 47 persons have been charged for inviting army in the region to start the military operation which has claimed hundreds of innocent lives.

"These people are also responsible for the non-implementation of Sharia in the valley," he charged.

The Taliban also announced that apart from these 47 people, no official or resident of the valley will be targeted, and those having fled the valley can return to live peacefully.

The spokesman said these decisions were taken in a meeting of the Swat Taliban Shura chaired by Maulana Fazlullah, and held at an undisclosed location in the valley.

The Taliban took up arms in the valley of Swat in order to enforce their own Islamic Sharia laws in 2007 when the army stepped in to thwart their designs.

Maulana Fazlullah, the young cleric from the valley, leads the movement and is hiding in remote areas of the valley since then to escape the military operation.

Son in law of famous hardliner cleric ,Sufi Mohammad, who is languishing in nearby Dir area after a peace deal with the ANP led provincial government, Fazlullah spearheaded the Taliban movement in the valley through sermons from his illegal FM Radio stations which became popular in the valley in 2006.