Muslim cleric warns Pak leaders to stop supporting security forces, else be killed
9 Oct 2008, 1629 Hrs

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Mingora (Pak), Oct 9 A Muslim rebel cleric in Swat, which has been facing aerial attacks from Pakistan security forces aimed at weeding out terrorists, has said that public representatives and government officials would be granted ?conditional amnesty? from ?target-killing? if they gave up supporting the security forces carrying out an operation against him.

Mullah Fazlullah, the Taliban chief in Swat, made the offer in an announcement through his illegal FM radio station from an undisclosed location after a two-day Shura (council) meeting. The radio station has a reach across the Swat valley, reported the Daily Times.

The cleric also announced ?amnesty? for social workers, other clerics and political workers in the violence-hit district of the NWFP if they gave up their differences with the Taliban, added the paper.

The Taliban had began killing pro-government leaders and social workers and destroyed their houses and offices after the military operation began. Fazlullah said that dialogue with the provincial government would not resume until the Taliban?s reservations against the new shariah law were not addressed and other demands that he did not specify were fulfilled. (ANI)