Mingora (AsiaNews) - The first phase of the real Talibanisation of northern Pakistan began today. After an agreement between the local and federal government, the first Taliban militants are being freed from the prisons of the North-West Frontier Province.
Their release is part of the agreement signed between Islamabad and Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat (an organisation made up of Pakistani Taliban members) last May 22, which provides for the handover of part of the provincial territory to Islamic militias.
The process will be carried forward in three phases: in the first, which begins this afternoon, 64 militants accused of terrorism will be freed from the prison of Timergara, and will be escorted to the northern part of the country. This will be followed by the freeing of the rest of the Taliban prisoners, which will be concluded within two weeks. All of them will be cleared of terrorism accusations.
In an interview with the newspaper the Daily Times, the spokesman of Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat says: "The Taliban were not involved in any attack that took place after the signing of the agreement. There are foreign elements behind this, which are conspiring against peace in the country and against our religion. But now that we are back, we will stop them".
According to the agreement, the Taliban will be allowed to run a significant part of the province (including the Swat valley, once considered "the Switzerland of Asia") and to create local Islamic courts, which will rule according to sharia, the law of the Qur'an.