Pakistan Near Ceasefire Deal With Militants

Pakistan’s new government is near a ceasefire deal with militants, the New York Times reports, as a top rebel commander has ordered his forces to stop attacks. Baitullah Mehsud, thought to have organized the December assassination of Benazir Bhutto, ordered a ban on “provocative activities for the sake of peace," in leaflets distributed in the Afghan border region, Reuters notes.

Critics charge that this is an old tactic: Mehsud’s forces will play along with the peace process while building their military strength. But officials from Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party ask for confidence: "It'll take time, they must trust us," said one minister. The proposed deal, the Times reports, would stop militant activity in exchange for Pakistani troops' withdrawal from certain tribal areas. (More Baitullah Mehsud stories.)