WANA, Pakistan, 15 May 2004 — Amnesty proceedings for suspected foreign militants hiding in a Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border have been postponed to give the foreigners more time to register, a tribal leader said yesterday.
The foreign fighters were to start registering with local authorities yesterday and take a vow to renounce terrorism as part of the amnesty offer, which would give them permission to live in the South Waziristan tribal region.
But a tribal elder, Malik Mohammed Iqbal, who was involved in the talks with the government over the amnesty program, said registration might not begin until tomorrow.
“Many people have to come from far off places. They will take time to reach here,” he said. There was no immediate official confirmation of the delay.
Registration of suspected foreign fighters was to begin in Duza Ghundai, a village about six kilometers west of the town of Wana, near where a March 16-28 military operation against Al-Qaeda fugitives killed more than 120 people, including 48 soldiers. More than 160 suspected militants were captured in the operation but none appeared to have been senior Al-Qaeda figures and most have since been released for lack of evidence.
Yesterday, the tribesmen set up a 40-member committee of elders to negotiate with the authorities to release local people who were still being detained.
The elders will also ask the government to revoke a huge fine it has imposed on members of a local tribe whose land was allegedly used for launching rocket attacks against Pakistani security forces in the region, said Malik Allah Gai.
Gai, who is leading hundreds of armed tribesmen who have promised to carry out a hunt for foreign terror suspects, vowed they were willing to help in registration of the foreigners.
“We will abide by this agreement. And whoever does not register, or give shelter to any foreigner who is not registered will be considered a culprit,” he said.
It was unclear when the negotiations between the government and the tribesmen over the release of the detainees and removal of the fine would begin.
Iqbal said the only foreigners in the area were Afghan refugees, but the government insists that 400 to 500 militants — believed to be Arabs, Afghans and Central Asians — are hiding in the region.
After the March operation, the government set an April 30 deadline for the foreigners to put down arms, abide by Pakistani laws and register, but that has been delayed to give tribal elders time to convince the foreigners to surrender.
Pakistan to Ink Deal to Buy Four Frigates From China
Pakistan may sign a formal deal with China this month to buy four state-of-the-art F-22 frigates for its navy during an upcoming visit of Naval Chief Adm. Shahid Karimullah to Beijing, sources said yesterday.
“Purchase of four frigates from China is part of modernization and upgrade plan of its Pakistan naval fleet,” sources told Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Islamabad yesterday.
Negotiations began about two years ago for the purchase of the frigates, which the sources said would greatly enhance combat capabilities of the country’s naval force.
“However, we still have to decide as to how many frigates out of the total four, will be constructed in Pakistan,” the sources said. The talks in China will also focus on the possibility of buying Chinese surveillance helicopters for the navy. The naval chief announced Pakistan’s intention to purchase copters last month.
Pakistan’s navy is presently flying Sea King, Lynx and Allouette helicopters for surveillance and maritime operations. Karimullah, who begins his visit to Beijing tomorrow, had recently announced his plans to modernize the naval fleet by replacing aging warships with new models.
