No to war: PM Nawaz decides to ‘give peace a chance’

Forms committee for talks with TTP; political parties welcome move.

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while quashing ongoing media speculation, said on Wednesday that peace talks deserved another chance. In a highly anticipated speech before parliament, the premier called on the Taliban to announce a truce and named a committee to assist in the dialogue process. The move received an overall positive response, showing a broad consensus in the house and among political parties.

Addressing the National Assembly after six months, the prime minister said the entire nation would be behind the state if it uses force but “there is an offer from the other side and we want to give peace another chance while keeping bitter realities of the past in mind”. “Terrorism and talks cannot continue simultaneously,” he said, adding that he is sincerely trying to restore peace in the country. “I hope the other side would reciprocate in a similar manner.”

He announced a four-member committee – comprising his Adviser on National Affairs Irfan Siddiqui, former ISI official Major (retd) Muhammad Amir, senior journalist Rahimullah Yousufzai and former ambassador and Afghanistan expert Rustam Shah Mohmand – that will hold talks with the TTP. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar would assist the committee and the premier would oversee it.

The lower house, unlike the past several sessions, was a different place as a majority of the MNAs, particularly from the ruling PML-N, were in attendance. Even the visitors’ and press gallery was almost packed – all in anticipation of the prime minister’s address.

In a concise speech, the premier mentioned the recent attacks, including the blasts on Peshawar Church, in Bannu, Rawalpindi, Aitzaz Hasan’s sacrifice in Hangu, the targeting of polio workers and Express News staffers. “My General Niazi and jawans were martyred,” he said.

Sharing the grief of families affected by drones strikes, he said the government was doing all it could to stop the Predator attacks. However, there was no justification for the attacks in reaction to the drone strikes, he added.

“Are the innocent children who fall prey to acts of terrorism, or the innocent civilians who die in such attacks, responsible for conducting the drone strikes?” he told the house. “Murder of innocent people cannot be tolerated anymore.”

He said peace was not a choice, but it was something the government wants to achieve at all costs.

Opposition’s reaction

Although major opposition parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), welcomed the announcement, they also posed some procedural questions, regarding the timeframe and openness of the dialogue process.

“So should the decision be taken as a ceasefire?” questioned PTI Chairman Imran Khan, while leader of the opposition asked for a timeframe given to the committee to proceed with talks.

Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman complained that it was not consulted. “Had the government taken us into confidence, we would have brought some sensitive issues to the prime minister’s notice,” he added.

Overall, major parties in the opposition assured the government of their full support – except for one. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement opposed the idea of holding talks again.

“This is a compromise on the blood of martyrs,” MQM’s parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar said. “How would we face the children of Hangu and Aitzaz Hassan?”

However, later in the evening, the MQM Rabita Committee issued a statement, sending the prime minister the party’s well wishes for the peace process. It said that for the sake of restoring peace in the country, it had agreed to dialogue during the all parties’ conference in September.

A fitting response

The prime minister chose to respond himself to the points and questions of the opposition leaders.  He said there is no fixed timeframe but it will be decided on once the process starts. To ensure transparency and to take all stakeholders into confidence, the federal government has included a nominee of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government in the four-member committee. “I hope Rustam Shah Mohmand will be briefing Imran Khan continuously and the K-P government on the progress,” he added.

“I also invite the opposition leaders to sit with me and give their proposals. I am also ready to sit with you. Invite me to your residence and I shall come to listen to you,” the prime minister said, pointing to Imran Khan.

Profile: Members of govt committee

Following are brief profiles of the members of the committee formed by the government:

Irfan Siddiqui

An educationist and columnist, Irfan Siddiqui is adviser to the prime minister on national affairs. Siddiqui, who had been in contact with Mullah Omar, enjoys respect among the Afghan Taliban ranks. He has also authored four books.

Major (retd) Muhammad Amir

Major (retd) Amir, a former ISI official, hails from district Swabi of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and is the son of a renowned religious scholar, Maulana Tahir sahib, who headed one of the largest madrassahs at Punjpir. Major Amir had joined Nawaz Sharif as an adviser when the latter was the chief minister of Punjab. He has influence over the Taliban and commands respect among all stakeholders.

Rustam Shah Mohmand

He is a specialist on Afghanistan and Central Asian affairs and a renowned security analyst. Having served as Pakistan’s ambassador in Afghanistan, Mohmand had good connections in the neighbouring country and enjoys respect. The government had included him in the four-member committee after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa proposed his name.

Rahimullah Yousafzai

Rahimullah Yousafzai is a Peshawar-based journalist and has been the focal person regarding information on Afghanistan and the Taliban for foreign media and academia. Being a senior media person in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Government of Pakistan had awarded him Tamgha-e-Imtiaz in 2004 and Sitara-e- Imtiaz in 2009 and 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2014.