Under the agreement, which is likely to be unveiled by the government next week, no militant will attack government officials or security forces. In return the army deployed in North Waziristan "will not carry out operations against them," an area intelligence official said.

The official said "the Taliban have also agreed to distance themselves from foreign militants."

A second area intelligence official said the accord was signed at a seminary near Miran Shah, the main town in North Waziristan where the military has carried out several operations against militants in recent years.

Both intelligence officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the issue with the media.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao was not available for comment. Fakhar-e-Alam, the top government administrator in North Waziristan_ who reportedly was present when the accord was signed also could not be contacted as his staff said he was busy in a meeting with tribal elders.

Residents welcomed the cease-fire and urged the government to take steps for lasting peace.

Pakistan is a key ally of the United States in its war on terror and it has asked the militants to lay down arms, evict foreigners from their areas and refrain from crossing the Afghan border to attack coalition forces.

Militants in the past have demanded the release of their associates arrested after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States and have asked the government to abolish military checkpoints in North Waziristan.

Pakistan has deployed more than 80,000 troops in the country's tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, where al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, are believed to be hiding.

Meanwhile, Tribal insurgents bombed a gas pipeline in southwestern Pakistan yesterday as tension continued over the killing of a rebel chieftain in a military operation, police said.