Talks between the Taliban and a tribal jirga about the law and order situation in the Bajaur tribal region failed on Monday, as the government refused to release arrested militants. 'The four-day talks did not yield desired results as both sides stood by their stated positions,' a local official and tribal elders from the jirga, who wished not to be named, told Daily Times.Taliban leaders did not accept responsibility for attacks on government interests, and demanded release of arrested people, jirga member Malik Abdul Aziz told reporters in Khar after the talks with militants failed. Bajaur Political Agent Shafeerullah told jirga members the government would not meet the Taliban demand for the release of people 'involved in attacks on state interests and murder of security forces'. The local administration had formed a 140-member tribal jirga to hold talks with Taliban leader Maulana Faqir Muhammad. He did not take part in the talks and his aides represented him. 'We abide by the March 26 peace deal (with the government) and have not carried out attacks the local administration believes we are responsible for, and instead it should take action against breakaway group led by Dr Ismail,' the Taliban negotiating team, including Maulana Syed Muhammad, told the jirga.
Shafeerullah warned tribal elders of action if local tribes did not meet territorial responsibility by handing over suspects who attacked government buildings and forces in their areas. 'We will take action against elders if attacks on government buildings and forces continue,' the political agent said. 'The Taliban are on one hand denying their involvement in attacks and on the other there has been an increase in attacks on state interests. You tribal elders will have to tell who these people are who are attacking the state interests. Finding a solution to this problem is you people's job,' the chief administrator told the Bajaur elders. He pressed them to come up with a solution by August 13 'otherwise the situation can take an ugly turn any time'.
Malik Abdul Aziz said the jirga would open talks with the Dr Ismail group on Tuesday (today).
AP adds: Clerics were trying on Monday to broker a ceasefire between pro-Taliban militants and security forces in restive North Waziristan, where a military post came under rocket attack overnight, sparking a gunbattle, officials said.
Meanwhile, militants distributed pamphlets in the bazaars of Miranshah, expressing hatred of security forces. Titled 'Taliban's message to a missile,' the pamphlet, written in Urdu, blamed the army and paramilitary troops for 'spilling the blood of Muslims.'
'Go and explode on the head of a soldier or a spy. See, make no mistake, go straight and target the enemies of Islam, the dogs of army and paramilitary,' it said.