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Cleric leads "peace march" through Pakistan's Swat

Arab World Materials 18 February 2009 14:13 (UTC +04:00)

A radical cleric at the vanguard of a struggle for Islamic law in Pakistan's restive Swat valley led a "peace march" on Wednesday to ask the Taliban to stop fighting, two days after he struck a deal with the government, Reuters reported.

Maulana Sufi Mohammad was freed last year after spending six years in prison for leading thousands of fighters to Afghanistan in a vain bid to help the Taliban repel U.S.-backed forces.

"I ask you to remain peaceful. We have reached an agreement with the provincial government and Nizam-e-Adl (Islamic system of justice) will soon be enforced here," Mohammad told several thousand followers gathered in Mingora, the main town in Swat.

"People will soon start getting justice and there will be a durable peace," he said as an army vehicle with a mounted machine gun patrolled the town's central bazaar.

Mohammad led an armed uprising in 1994 for the restoration of sharia, Islamic law, in Swat, and again challenged authorities in 1999 with protests over the government's failure to honor agreements, but he forsook militancy after his release last year.

Bespectacled with a snow white beard and henna-tinted hair poking from beneath his black turban, Mohammad strode through the town followed by supporters, many waving black and white flags.

The marchers, most also wearing black turbans, later drove to meet Taliban leaders at their stronghold in the village of Matta, some 18 km (11 miles) away.

"Maulana Sufi Mohammad's presence here is a blessing for the people of Swat as we can now hope for peace in the valley," said Zahoor Ahmed, a farmer who had come to town to join the rally.

No-one carried weapons and there were no signs of any security for the march, though vehicles entering Mingora were checked by masked Taliban fighters.

U.S. officials have privately expressed dismay to Pakistani officials over the decision to concede to the Islamists' demands for sharia, although in practice the laws are unlikely to be applied severely as there are no new judges being appointed.

They fear it will encourage the Taliban to believe militancy will succeed both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where President Barack Obama is sending more U.S. troops.

But Pakistan is already fighting militants on several fronts, and officials say compromising with Mohammad was the best option to pacify Swat, at least.

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