In Shakai, a remote village around 400 km southeast of Islamabad, the surrendering men gave traditional peace offerings of garlands, turbans, pistols and swords to the army officers. "We give amnesty to these people in return for their pledge of brotherhood and loyalty," said Lieutenant-General Safdar Hussain, the regional army commander, who arrived at the jirga to chants of "Allahu Akbar", or "God is Greatest". The commander said the foreign militants had until April 30 to surrender and receive a pardon or he would send troops after them. He also announced the release of 50 tribesmen arrested after fierce clashes with Pakistani forces last month.
| Most of these guys were picked up fighting the Pakistani military and there's a good chance that some of them killed Pakistani troops in the Waziristan festivities and now they're letting them go in return for a promise of good behavior. Isn't this pretty much the same song and dance that Yemen tried not so long ago? Didn't turn out too well, as I recall ... |
| Soddy Arabia did the same thing. That worked well, too. |
|
