Click to play videoNew Delhi: Islamabad's Sharia carrot seems to be working in Swat. The Taliban has indefinitely extended its ceasefire in the troubled valley a day before it was to expire. The ceasefire will also apply in the adjoining Bajaur agency.
The carrot reportedly included $6 million handed out from no less than President Zardari's special fund.
But the government seems happy. Mullah Fazlullah has reportedly told his father-in-law Sufi Mohammad that he will release all hostages unconditionally and will not attack government property.
But Sufi Mohammad said conditions will apply for the ceasefire to become permanent.
- The army must be withdrawn from the Swat Valley
- This also applies to check posts manned by police or the Frontier Corps
- Government must set free all Taliban prisoners
- The people of Swat should be compensated for the losses inflicted during the fighting
"If the government tomorrow decides that peace is restored without using force and the military is no longer required, the military will be pulled out from Swat," says Lt Gen Athar Abbas.
Adding to the uncertainty, there's been a coming together of three feuding Taliban chieftains reportedly at the intervention of Taliban supremo Mullah Omar.
Tehreek-e-Taliban chief Beitullah Mehsud, who controls South Waziristan, has buried the hatchet with Maulvi Nazir - the Taliban chief in Wana - and Hafiz Gul Bahadur - Taliban chief of North Waziristan.
A declaration issued commits all three to waging jihad against infidels, the infidels were named as the US, Pakistan President Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
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