PESHAWAR, Feb 17 The Jamaat-i-Islami has announced unconditional support to the government-TNSM agreement to enforce Islamic system and restore peace in Swat and said the party will observe Wednesday as 'peace day' in the Malakand region.

The decision was taken by the party's provincial Shura that met here on Tuesday to discuss the agreement between the Awami National Party-led provincial government and the banned Tehrik Nifaz-i-Sharia-i-Muhammadi and approve the party's standpoint over it.

The meeting was presided over by party's provincial president Sirajul Haq, who returned from his visit to China the same day. Briefing media people after the meeting at the provincial headquarters of the party, Al-Markaz-i-Islami, he said “We believe solution of all the problems rests in Islamic system and struggle for implementation of Islamic Sharia in the country is the main reason of existence of the Jamaat-i-Islami.”He said the demand for enforcement of Islamic system in the Malakand region was not a new one. It was, he said, due to the longstanding demand of the people of Malakand that the government had introduced Nizam-i-Adl regulations in 1994 and then in 1999. The present government, too, made an agreement for implementation of Islamic system and restoration of peace, he said.

“We welcome this agreement on part of the government. We also welcome Taliban's announcement of ceasefire. But we urge the government to take practical steps for implementation of Sharia instead of making mere announcements,” he said.

He said the government should implement Islamic system through judicial system. The government, he said, should end interest-based system in Malakand, and pay compensation to those killed, injured and those who lost their houses and businesses during the operation. The government should also make prompt arrangement for return of internally displaced people and their rehabilitation.

He said the JI had earlier announced to observe Feb 18 as 'black day' to protest the killing of innocent people and press the government to stop the military operation, but now that the government had announced enforcement of Islamic system in Malakand, the day would be observed as 'peace day'.

Mr Siraj expressed concern over statements of ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and federal Minister for Information Sherry Rehman about Nizam-i-Adl regulations and said these statements had confused the situation. He said the federal government should avoid using delaying tactics in enforcement of Islamic system.

BATKHELA Traders of Malakand have welcomed the declaration regarding the promulgation of the Nizam-i-Adl Regulation in the Malakand region and the Kohistan district of the Hazara division.

They announced to observe Feb 18 as 'thanksgiving day' in the districts of Lower Dir, Upper Dir and Malakand. Bazaars in these districts would remain closed that day.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the traders' organisation of Malakand held under its divisional president Shakirullah in Batkhela on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by office-bearers of trade unions from the three districts.

They said traders of Malakand had suffered huge losses due to the prevailing law and order situation, particularly the militancy in Swat and sporadic incidents of violence in Dir and Malakand areas.

MARDAN Former communication minister and Awami National Party leader Azam Khan Hoti has welcomed the agreement between the provincial government and the TNSM to enforce Sharia in Malakand and Kohistan.

Speaking at a ceremony here on Tuesday, he said that the decision would go a long way in ensuring lasting peace in all the seven districts of Malakand division.

Azam Hoti, who is the father of CM Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, criticised the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government, saying they had come to power in the name of working for enforcement of Sharia in the province, but had failed to do so.

SWABI Local Awami National Party leaders have said the Sharia-based judicial system in Malakand will usher in an era of peace and progress.

Speaking at a meeting here on Tuesday, Rehmanullah, former MNA, said it was a victory for those who wanted to restore peace in the violence-ridden regions.

He said there was a need to prepare the ground for establishing durable peace in the region because Pakhtuns were being killed and weakened by continued violence on their soil.

Jehan Zeb Khan, former Swabi district nazim, said the ANP leadership was striving for peace and for which it offered olive branch to all groups for restoring order in restive Swat and other areas.

He said all other parties should avoid spoiling the opportunity and strengthen the government's hands to bring durable peace to the province.

He claimed that previous governments had failed to meet the people's demand for enforcing Sharia and it was the ANP-led government which had freed TNSM chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad. He said even the religious parties who ruled the NWFP for five years had failed to free the TNSM chief.

The district chapter of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf also welcomed the step, saying enforcement of Sharia in Swat would enable internally displaced people to return home.