Amnesty Granted in Pakistan

The Pakistani army, which has been battling suspected Al Qaeda fighters, entered into a clemency agreement Saturday with the five most-wanted militant tribal leaders.

The government granted amnesty to the leaders in return for their forsaking violence and withdrawing support for foreign fighters hiding in the region.

The reconciliation ceremony between the army commander and the five elders was held at a seminary in Shakai, in the South Waziristan tribal region about 250 miles south of Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province.

The commander of the 11th Corps, Lt. Gen. Safdar Hussain, also set a Friday deadline for all foreign fugitives to surrender.

“I ask all foreigners hiding in the tribal area either to surrender or leave our soil by April 30,” said Hussain, who led a recent offensive against more than 500 foreign militants and their tribal supporters in the South Waziristan region.

“If local people do not withdraw their support for the foreign militants, then foreign troops can enter Pakistani territory, like Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said.

President Pervez Musharraf has announced general amnesty for wanted tribesmen who surrender. He said that about 600 foreign militants were hiding in this remote part of the country.