VOA标准英语2009年-Pakistan Agrees to Islamic Law in Tribal Area

Authorities in Pakistan have agreed to introduce Islamic law in a restive¹ northwestern region in a bid to stop a spreading Taliban insurgency².
　
Taliban and Islamist militants⁴ listen to speakers at a meeting with Pakistani officials in Peshawar, 16 Feb 2009

Pro-Taliban extremist groups have long fought for Islamic law, called Sharia, to replace Pakistan's secular⁵ laws in the northwestern Malakand region that includes the Swat District, a militant³ stronghold.

The mountainous Pakistani region has seen intense fighting between Taliban insurgents⁶ and security forces since 2007. The violence has forced thousands of residents to flee to safer areas and Taliban militants have destroyed nearly 200 mostly girls' schools in the scenic⁷ valley as part of efforts to enforce their strict version of Islam that prohibits female education.

But provincial⁸ authorities said they have signed a peace deal with a leading outlawed⁹ pro-Taliban group in the region [Tehrike Nifaze Sharia Mohammadi] headed by Sufi Mohammad. The agreement, they said, will lead to enforcement of the Islamic Sharia law in the area including Swat, once a tourist paradise.

Giving details of the deal at a news conference, Provincial Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti said the agreement has not been made under pressure from extremist forces and is not unconstitutional.

He defended the peace deal, saying that establishment of a separate judicial¹⁰ system in the area was long approved by the Pakistani parliament.

"Whatever we are giving them, there is not even a single section or provision which is against the basic fundamental rights and the liberties or against the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This was the peoples' demand. There was a problem there, there was a vacuum there and hopefully this would definitely work," he said.

Mr. Hoti said that the federal government and President Asif Ali Zardari have approved the deal under which, as he put it, all un-Islamic provisions in the existing legal system stand outlawed as a first step.
　
Pakistani soldiers man mortar¹¹ position near the Shangla Pass overlooking Swat valley (File)

Militants have announced a 10-day unilateral cease-fire to pave the way for the peace agreement. But the provincial chief minister said Pakistani troops will remain stationed in Swat and will respond if they come under attack.

The peace deal in northwestern Pakistan was announced hours after missiles fired by a suspected unmanned U.S aircraft hit a militant hideout in a tribal¹² region near the Afghan border.

This was the second such strike in the past three days. On Saturday, an alleged¹³ U.S drone attack killed at least 25 people in the South Waziristan tribal region. Witnesses and tribesmen described most of the victims as local and foreign militants.

1 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

2 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

6 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

7 scenic   

adj.自然景色的，景色优美的

参考例句：

• The scenic beauty of the place entranced the visitors.这里的美丽风光把游客们迷住了。
• The scenic spot is on northwestern outskirts of Beijing.这个风景区位于北京的西北远郊。

8 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

9 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

10 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

11 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

12 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

13 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为