ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan told an international media organization on Friday his administration was negotiating with some factions of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant network, adding he was not in favor of military solution as a politician.
President Arif Alvi and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced last month the government was willing to offer amnesty to TTP members if they laid down their arms, abandoned extremist ideology and adhered to the country’s constitution.
However, the militant network issued a statement in response, saying it was proud of its “struggle” while adding that its members were not seeking forgiveness from anyone.
“The Pakistan Taliban groups actually want to talk to our government for some peace and reconciliation,” the prime minister told an international news channel. “And we are in talks with some of the groups.”
Asked if the Afghan Taliban were facilitating the dialogue process, he simply responded that the talks were taking place in Afghanistan.
Khan said his government was willing to forgive members of the proscribed network once they laid down their arms.
“They will become normal citizens,” he continued.
The prime minister was hopeful a deal was likely to come out of the negotiation process, though it was not clear from a brief interview excerpt shared on the social media who was leading the talks from the Pakistani side, what were the TTP demands, and how soon was a breakthrough expected.
“I do not believe in military solutions,” Khan added. “I always believe as a politician that political dialogue is the way ahead which I always thought was the case with Afghanistan.”
TTP, a conglomerate of several armed factions, was banned soon after its emergence in Pakistan’s tribal areas in 2007 since it started killing Pakistani civilians and security forces.
Inspired by Al Qaeda ideology, it targeted the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and massacred more than 100 children at a school in Peshawar.
The network also took responsibility for shooting Malala Yousafzai, who later became the world’s youngest Nobel laureate, in her hometown, Swat, for advocating girls’ education.
Asked why the TTP was attacking the Pakistani security forces while negotiating with the government to secure a settlement, Khan said: “I think it was just a spate of attacks, but we are talking. [However,] we might not reach some sort of a conclusion.”
PM says government negotiating with Pakistani Taliban as militants continue attacks
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PM says government negotiating with Pakistani Taliban as militants continue attacks
- The prime minister tells an international news channel TTP militants will become ‘normal citizens’ after laying down arms
- Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan said in a statement last month it was proud of its ‘struggle’ and was not seeking forgiveness from anyone
Three militants killed in intelligence-based operation in Pakistan’s southwest — military
- The operation was conducted in Panjgur district of insurgency-hit Balochistan province
- Sanitization operations being conducted to eliminate any other threat, the military says
ISLAMABAD: Security forces on Sunday killed three militants in an intelligence-based operation in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, the military said.
The operation was conducted in Balochistan’s Panjgur district on reported presence of “Indian-sponsored militants,” according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
Three militants, including their local commander, were killed in an exchange of fire during the operation, with security personnel recovering weapons, ammunition and explosives from the scene.
“Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored terrorist found in the area,” the ISPR said in a statement.
There was no immediate response from India to the statement.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land area bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has long been the site of a low-level insurgency involving Baloch separatist groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF).
Pakistan accuses India of supporting these separatist militant groups and describes them as “Fitna Al-Hindustan.” New Delhi denies the allegation.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s counterterrorism police said they had killed five militants, who were planning to block the Quetta–Sibi highway and target security forces.
Officials found seven hand grenades, five sub-machine guns with live rounds and three motorcycles from the scene, according to a CTD statement.
“Search and combing operations are underway to apprehend the fleeing terrorists and dismantle the remaining network,” it read.
