Bajaur Peace Deal Mirrors Failed 2006 Agreement

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The news that the Mamond tribe in Bajaur has signed a “peace agreement” with the Pakistani government is sure to cause some in the “let’s negotiate” crowd to jump with joy. On the face of it, it looks like a great deal: the fighting ends, al Qaeda won’t be sheltered, the Taliban will lay down their weapons and recognize the writ of the state:

Leaders of the Mamond, the largest tribe in the district that borders Afghanistan, signed a 28-point peace accord Monday, agreeing to surrender local Taliban commander Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, his spokesman Muslim Khan and three other key figures, the Dawn newspaper reported. However, the Taliban leaders will be pardoned and allowed to live peacefully if they promised not to fight government forces. Under the agreement, all militants would lay down arms and get themselves registered with their respective tribes to facilitate monitoring and stop propaganda against the state and its institutions. The Mamoond tribe also agreed not to shelter any al-Qaeda-linked foreign militants, rent or sell them property and to register all Islamic seminaries in the area.

The problem is the Mamond tribe signed a very similar agreement back in 2006:

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