Sunday, June 12 2005 11:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Pakistan Army paid a massive sum of 32 million rupees to some most-wanted militants in the tribal areas of South Waziristan to buy peace and enable them pay off debts taken from al-Qaeda, a media report said.

When Pakistani authorities initiated a dialogue with the tribesmen several months ago to buy peace and fight the al-Qaeda, they learnt that the tribals were "compelled to fight for al-Qaeda and against the Pakistan Army because they had obtained huge loans from al-Qaeda," Pakistani magazine 'Newsline' said in a report.

It said the tribesmen of South Waziristan had "no option but to offer its (al-Qaeda) militants shelter or work for their interests in the region."

Over 32 million rupees were paid to some most-wanted militants to enable them pay off their al-Qaeda debts and surrender and sign peace deals with the Army, the monthly said.

It quoted Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Safdar Hussain, in charge of the military operations in Waziristan, as saying the payments were made as part of a package after the militants said they needed "to settle debts with al-Qaeda".

Hussain said two of the militants, Haji Sharif and Maulvi Abbas, received 15 million rupees each, while Maulvi Javed and Haji Omar were paid one million each. Another tribal militant, Nek Mohammad, who was killed in a rocket attack last year, is believed to have earned a fortune by providing logistic support to al-Qaeda militants in the tribal zones.

The magazine said documents seized from arrested Taliban leaders indicated that Nek Mohammad had distributed over 100 million rupees to militants and arms suppliers to disrupt the Afghan elections last year.