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Pakistan police lodge charges against cleric
Pakistani authorities lodged a criminal case Sunday against a cleric who helped negotiate a failed peace deal with the Swat Valley Taliban, suggesting the government is determined not to negotiate again with the militants.
Sufi Muhammad, father-in-law of Swat's notorious Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah, is accused of aiding terrorism, sedition and conspiring against the government, Swat police Chief Sajid Mohmand said. The charges carry a minimum penalty of life imprisonment and a maximum of death.
The case suggests Pakistan is moving away from its past willingness to negotiate with militants, but could also be a way to pressure Muhammad to reveal any information he has about the location of the Swat Valley Taliban's leaders, who have evaded capture despite a three-month military offensive.