Swat deal an effort to restore peace: Haqqani

23 Feb, 2009

Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani has said that the Swat deal is an effort to restore peace and to end violence in the areas with the help of local leaders. "The government has done it, created an opportunity for local clerics to drive the extremists out from Swat valley" he said on Sunday in an interview with BBC TV.
He said the government has finalised peace deal after religious leaders in Swat have assured return to normalisation and opening of girl schools. He said "There are several groups in Swat, which oppose girls education, while there are other groups which are peaceful and back the girls education," the envoy said.
Haqqani said the government has close contacts with the religious leaders, who have a desire to establish peace in the area. The Ambassador said local religious leaders have assured the government for ending militancy and violence.
He said the government is holding negotiations with peace loving, who have decided to lay down their arms and follow government actions. Expressing strong anti-terrorism resolve, Haqqani said the fight against violent extremism "is our war, and we intend to fight and defeat terrorism". He said the government has no plan to hold negotiations with Al-Qaida and Taliban.

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