MINGORA, Jan 23: A provincial minister and two members of the NWFP assembly have urged Taliban to lay down arms and warned them of a major assault if they do not.

Talking to newsmen here on Friday, Minister for Science and Technology Mohammad Ayub Asharay and MPAs Jaffer Shah and Sher Shah asked militants loyal to Maulana Fazlullah to surrender to the government. They, however, said the militants would face cases in courts even if they surrendered.

They said the government was determined to establish its writ in Swat and to restore peace.

They said the government believed in dialogue and peaceful solution of problems and advised people to beware of anti-state elements.

They said arrangements had been made to enforce Sharia in the Malakand region and TNSM chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad had been taken into confidence in this regard.

The lawmakers later went to the residence of veteran ANP leader Afzal Khan Lala in Drushkhela in a helicopter and discussed with him a wide rage of issues.

It may be recalled that a high-level delegation led by NWFP Chief Minister Haider Khan Hoti held a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad to get a go-ahead for a new peace initiative in Swat and Malakand region.

According to sources, the lawmakers from Swat would monitor the military operation in the district and send reports to the Chief Minister’s House and President’s House every 10 days.

The new arrangement, the sources said, might have been decided at the meeting in Islamabad.

The people of the region were desperately waiting for restoration of peace and establishment of government’s writ in the region because the unrest had destroyed the economy of Swat, they said.

It may be recalled that a peace jirga from Swat held in Peshawar has called upon the government and security forces to ensure that the military operation focussed on the real target and the people were not harmed.

The jirga through a unanimous resolution asked the federal and provincial governments to take effective and practical measures in accordance with the National Assembly’s resolution for elimination of militancy in the region.

APP adds: The NWFP government has announced a general amnesty for the militants wishing to give up militancy and avoid challenging the writ of the government.

The announcement about the amnesty was made at a press conference addressed by Minister for Science and Technology A.K. Asharay who said: “We are once again giving an opportunity of general amnesty to those who want to lay down arms and stop challenging the government’s writ.”