Where has Sufi Mohammad gone?

Bureau Report
Tuesday, 28 Apr, 2009 | 05:28 AM PST |

Sufi Mohammad was last seen leaving for his home in Lal Qila area from his base camp in Maidan on Saturday afternoon.—AP

PESHAWAR: The government as well as followers of Sufi Mohammad's defunct Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi are looking for him for one reason: to start talks to remove the last few remaining hurdles in the enforcement of Nizam-i-Adl Regulation.

Sufi Mohammad was last seen leaving for his home in Lal Qila area from his base camp in Maidan on Saturday afternoon. 

On Sunday morning, according to his spokesman Ameer Izzat, the cleric started for his base camp along with his son Ziaullah, just when the paramilitary forces moved in to attack militants’ hideout in Lal Qila.

‘The last time we had contact with Sufi Sahib was when he said he was on his way to Maidan. He said that he wanted to return home but he was not allowed to proceed by security people because of the fighting there,’ Ameer Izzat said.

‘There has been no communication since then and we don’t know where he is. Everybody is looking for him. We are looking for him. The government is looking for him. We are concerned. We want him to come back and resume talks to resolve the pending issues.’

Ironically, the NWFP government faces the same predicament. It desperately needs to start talks and announce the remaining steps for the implementation of the recently-announced regulation but it does not know where to find the TNSM chief. 

In fact, a two-member team of the NWFP government comprising Senator Afrasiab Khattak and Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain flew into Upper Dir on Monday. But Sufi was nowhere to be seen.

Anxious to resolve the remaining issues, the government is believed to have reached out to all those who could locate Sufi Mohammed. One significant announcement would be the setting up of Darul Qaza in Malakand. 

This would be a major stride in the full implementation of the regulation but before it does so, the government would like to consult the unpredictable TNSM leader. 

The TNSM wants the operation to be halted and one reason for the demand is to help find their leader, who is known for his disappearing antics.

In 1994, when the TNSM had launched an armed rebellion against the state for enforcement of Sharia in Malakand, Sufi was literally pulled out from the mountains by a helicopter to negotiate a settlement.

Sufi had agreed and went along with government officials to disarm his supporters and dislodge them from the mountains.

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