Govt to withdraw Army from tribal areas: Qazi
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Friday said government has assured him that it would withdraw army from tribal areas, Balochistan, Khyber Agency and scenic valley of Swat soon.
The assurance to this effect was given to him during his meeting with Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik here on Friday.
Earlier, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik on Friday met Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Qazi Hussain Ahmed here in his residence and discussed host of issues related to overall law and order in tribal areas, Government contacts with religious Parties, withdrawal of army from tribal areas and Balochistan and others.
Overall situation of the country, war against terrorism, especially law and order in tribal areas and NWFP were discussed during the meeting between two leaders that lasted more than one hours, sources said. Talking to media men after the meeting, Qazi Hussain Ahmed said, Rehman Malik assured him that Government is sincerely mulling to withdraw army from Balochistan, tribal areas, Khyber Agency and Swat.
Peace cannot prevail in the region until army is present in Balochistan and tribal areas, Qazi said while asking the Government to solve all problems through negotiation instead of using power.
Government will have to ensure implementation on rule of law if it wants peace in the country, Qazi Hussain Ahmed pointed out. Answering to a question, Ameer JI Qazi added that the issue of missing people was also discussed in length during the meeting and Rehman Malik assured him that government would ensure release of missing people. Welcoming the steps of government to enhance contact with religious parties, he hoped that the continuation of these contacts would be continued in future. We do not want clash among political parties, he said.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed demanded government to take strict action against those who are breaching the law and ensure independence of judiciary. Only 12 days has been left for reinstatement of deposed judges who refused to take oath under PCO, he said, added, all the deposed judges would be reinstated.
Reply to another query, Qazi said, JI boycotted the Feb 18 elections due to President Pervez Musharraf would also not take part in by elections. The session of All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) would be convened soon to devise future strategy, he said. We would inform relevant authorities before holding any public gathering while permission is not mandatory in this respect, he concluded.
APP Add, The NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has appealed to the international community to help his government resolve the issue of insecurity in the region through dialogue and negotiations.
The Pakhtun nation suffered a lot since a hostile policy was adopted against militancy. The time is ripe to resolve all the issues through consensus and dialogue for restoration of a durable peace in the entire region, Hoti told a delegation led by French Ambassador Mr Ragis de Belenet and President Canadian Parliamentary Center Robert Miller, who called on him at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Friday.
Other members of the delegation were George Anderson, President and CEO of Forum of Federations, an international network on federalism, Grant Kippen, Nicholas Coghlan and John J. Moore.