Pakistan to Fight Terror By Arming Militias

A Pakistani border region struggling against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants will distribute 30,000 rifles to villagers in hopes that local militias can help the provincial government regain control. Province came after Pakistan's government announced a seemingly conflicting deal in the Swat Valley — a Taliban stronghold within the province — to impose Islamic law if the extremists stop fighting. Similar village militias, backed by the United States, have been credited with reducing violence in Iraq, and a comparable initiative is under way in Afghanistan. Officials would consult with local police before handing out the arms and would take them back if they were not used against terrorists and troublemakers. It did not say when the weapons would be handed out, or if villagers would be armed in the Swat valley, where security forces and Taliban militants are observing a week-old cease-fire while seeking a peace accord.