Its an old article and I am in process of getting the Geo video of Nek Mohammad Wazir but here we go, something to show the Taliban supporters out there.
* Corps commander says foreign militants must surrender by April 30
* 50 tribesmen to be freed
* Nek Muhammad pledges loyalty to Pakistan
By Iqbal Khattak
SHAKAI: Five tribesmen accused of sheltering Al Qaeda militants surrendered to the Pakistan army at a tribal council on Saturday.
Thousands of tribesmen looked on as the five men from the Zalikhel tribe turned themselves in before a jirga, and pledged loyalty to Pakistan in return for clemency.
The ceremony took place at a madrassa in Shakai, 20 kilometres north of Wana. Witnesses said the five tribesmen came to the assembly unarmed and one of them offered a pistol as a gift to the corps commander while the others offered prayer mats and copies of the Quran.
“We give amnesty to these people in return for their pledge of brotherhood and loyalty,” said Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Safdar Hussain, who arrived at the jirga to chants of Allah-o-Akbar. “I congratulate Nek and his colleagues on their courageous decision. You are our brothers and your allegiance pledge is exemplary,” Gen Hussain said after the wanted men joined him in the ceremony.
Paramilitaries provided security for Gen Hussain while heavily-armed supporters of the wanted men took positions in and around the compound where the jirga was meeting. Gen Hussain 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 last month. The corps commander said others who were found innocent would also be freed. Gen Hussain announced Rs 90.1 million for development in Waziristan.
Amid loud applause from tribesmen, the leader of the five wanted tribesmen declared his allegiance. “Pakistan is our home. We want peace here. The Pakistani forces are our brothers,” Nek Mohammad said. “We regret what has been done on the basis of misunderstanding. Let’s forget what happened. We and the army should not repeat that,” Nek Muhammad said. “We may have made some mistakes, and the army may have done the same. But it’s important that we do not repeat them,” said Mr Nek who fought alongside the Taliban against the Northern Alliance.
Nek said military commanders should not act against the tribal people on advice from others, an apparent reference to the US. “Talk to us directly if you have any suspicion,” he said. Nek said Pakistan’s western borders were never attacked because of the tribal people while India had attacked the country’s eastern border many times. “The tribal people are Pakistan’s atom bomb,” said Nek. Tribal Areas security chief Brigadier (r) Mehmood Shah said no more military offensives would be needed in South Waziristan if the tribesmen abide by the conditions of the deal. However, he said Pakistani forces would nevertheless remain in South Waziristan.
Meanwhile, 30 tribesmen were injured, two of them seriously, when the roof of a house caved in as they waited for the jirga, hospital sources in Wana told Daily Times.
Agencies add: Military spokesman Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan said the wanted men would not be handed over to any country. He said the government would compensate tribesmen for their losses during the operation after a survey. US Lieutenant Colonel Matt Beevers told a news briefing in Kabul he welcomed the negotiated settlement in Shakai.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...5-4-2004_pg1_1
* Corps commander says foreign militants must surrender by April 30
* 50 tribesmen to be freed
* Nek Muhammad pledges loyalty to Pakistan
By Iqbal Khattak
SHAKAI: Five tribesmen accused of sheltering Al Qaeda militants surrendered to the Pakistan army at a tribal council on Saturday.
Thousands of tribesmen looked on as the five men from the Zalikhel tribe turned themselves in before a jirga, and pledged loyalty to Pakistan in return for clemency.
The ceremony took place at a madrassa in Shakai, 20 kilometres north of Wana. Witnesses said the five tribesmen came to the assembly unarmed and one of them offered a pistol as a gift to the corps commander while the others offered prayer mats and copies of the Quran.
“We give amnesty to these people in return for their pledge of brotherhood and loyalty,” said Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Safdar Hussain, who arrived at the jirga to chants of Allah-o-Akbar. “I congratulate Nek and his colleagues on their courageous decision. You are our brothers and your allegiance pledge is exemplary,” Gen Hussain said after the wanted men joined him in the ceremony.
Paramilitaries provided security for Gen Hussain while heavily-armed supporters of the wanted men took positions in and around the compound where the jirga was meeting. Gen Hussain 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 last month. The corps commander said others who were found innocent would also be freed. Gen Hussain announced Rs 90.1 million for development in Waziristan.
Amid loud applause from tribesmen, the leader of the five wanted tribesmen declared his allegiance. “Pakistan is our home. We want peace here. The Pakistani forces are our brothers,” Nek Mohammad said. “We regret what has been done on the basis of misunderstanding. Let’s forget what happened. We and the army should not repeat that,” Nek Muhammad said. “We may have made some mistakes, and the army may have done the same. But it’s important that we do not repeat them,” said Mr Nek who fought alongside the Taliban against the Northern Alliance.
Nek said military commanders should not act against the tribal people on advice from others, an apparent reference to the US. “Talk to us directly if you have any suspicion,” he said. Nek said Pakistan’s western borders were never attacked because of the tribal people while India had attacked the country’s eastern border many times. “The tribal people are Pakistan’s atom bomb,” said Nek. Tribal Areas security chief Brigadier (r) Mehmood Shah said no more military offensives would be needed in South Waziristan if the tribesmen abide by the conditions of the deal. However, he said Pakistani forces would nevertheless remain in South Waziristan.
Meanwhile, 30 tribesmen were injured, two of them seriously, when the roof of a house caved in as they waited for the jirga, hospital sources in Wana told Daily Times.
Agencies add: Military spokesman Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan said the wanted men would not be handed over to any country. He said the government would compensate tribesmen for their losses during the operation after a survey. US Lieutenant Colonel Matt Beevers told a news briefing in Kabul he welcomed the negotiated settlement in Shakai.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...5-4-2004_pg1_1

haha
Comment