New Delhi: Pakistan has set up the first Islamic appellate court in the Malakand division and is spreading the word that there is no reason for the Taliban to continue fighting.
The army has claimed to have killed 80 Taliban fighters during operations in Buner and 21 suicide bombers were also killed in Ambilla. Buner's main town Daggar is in the army's hands and a major highway leading to Daggar has also been taken.
"We opened one of the accesses that is the Malandrai access. And the main road Ambella passes we have captured. We still have eight kilometres of road to go through," said IG frontier Corps, major general Tariq Khan.
But the army believes at least 500 Taliban fighters are holed up in other parts of Buner and so the offensive will continue unless the Taliban throws in the towel and leaves.
For now the Taliban have shown no signs of leaving reports indicate they are holding as many as 2,000 civilians as human shields in the Pir Baba area of Buner.
"They (Taliban) have snatched away petrol from the pumps .They assault people and snatch away their money," said a local resident.
The new resolve being shown by the Pakistani army is expected to ease the atmosphere ahead of President Zardari's visit to Washington on Wednesday. The only doubt is whether the offensive will continue beyond the visit.
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