A religious leader who negotiated an agreement that ended fighting between the Taliban and security forces in Pakistan’s Swat valley says he is pulling out of peace talks, informs Aljazeera.net..
Sufi Muhammad said on Thursday that the reason for his withdrawal was that the government had been too slow to introduce sharia (Islamic law) in the region.
He has left the Swat valley to set up a protest camp at his old headquarters in Malakand province.
His statement calls into question the durability of a controversial peace effort in the valley, where fighting has forced thousands of residents to flee.
Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan’s president, has said he will sign an order introducing
sharia in the region only once peace has been fully restored.
