A pause in the ongoing military operation against Taliban militants in South Waziristan is being seen as a temporary halt to pave way for a truce in the troubled region, residents and elders believe. However, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Major General Athar Abbas told Daily Times he was unaware of any offer from militant leader Baitullah Mehsud as was earlier reported by some media outlets.Asked why the military had stopped advancing or even firing, he said it might be a lull to consolidate their positions, and added that “there is no ceasefire at the moment”. He said any peace deal was related to the civil administration.
However, an unofficial source privy to previous talks between the government and the Taliban militants in the area said efforts were underway to secure a peace deal. The source remained elusive when asked if the Taliban had made any offer for a ceasefire with the government. The source added, “There is a temporary ceasefire.”
Although the government has not made an official announcement and reports of scattered incidents of firing have been arriving from certain areas, the two sides are striving to secure a permanent peace deal, the source hoped. He said the Taliban had not requested tribal elders for negotiations with the government, nor had the government assigned the elders any task to start negotiations. There were yet signs that both sides were inclined to reach a truce to bring calm to the area, the source maintained. Locals confirmed there had been no artillery shelling by security forces or attacks on checkposts by militants since Friday. The locals believe, however, it might be due to excessive snowfall in some areas.
Reports about a ceasefire offer by Mehsud have appeared at a time when troops have made advances against militants in Waziristan, and army officials say they have come close to hideouts of the militant commander.